


Long way home

by helgaslifehacks



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2019-07-06 01:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 35,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15875769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helgaslifehacks/pseuds/helgaslifehacks
Summary: This story takes place right after season 7. It's about Arya and her different relationships with different people. It takes sometime until these people arrive in Winterfell and they are reunited. A little bit later in the story the main focus is on a love triangle between Arya ,Podrick and Gendry. You have to read it to find out who she choses.





	1. Worst Company

**Author's Note:**

> First of all i want to say sorry , english isnt my first language and i am pretty shitty in it .It is also the first time that i am writing anything so it is propably going to be very bad . Well enjoy it if you can .

Sandor Clegane

 

It was the night after Cersei Lannister, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen met at the Dragon Pit.That fool who calls himself king in the north bend the fucking knee to the mother of dragons in front of Cersei. He can be fucking happy that Cersei didn't decide to blow up the Dragon Pit just as the Great Sept of Bealor. The Hound was sitting alone at a fire drinking a cheap and disgusting wine.

It was pretty late and the most men decided to go to their overcrowded tent and try to find some sleep before they have to march to Highgarden and get the Unsullied.After that, they would march to white Harbour where they would have to wait for Daenerys Targaryen to bring the Dothraki screamer. And then finally march for Winterfell.

The Hound decided to go straight to Winterfell, he didn't want to wait for every bronze toned guy from Essos to arrive. He just had to tell Jon before he would leave.

Suddenly some branches crack behind Sandor Clegane. He turns fast around just to see that the Bastard of Winterfell is standing there.

"Enjoying the last night in the south where you don't have to freeze your ass off?" Jon asked.

"Aye, wouldn't find any sleep even if I would try like those other fools. Beside you are here I have good news for you."

"What is it?"

"I am going to fuck off tomorrow and ride straight to Winterfell."

"Why that?" Jon asked with a confused look on his face.

"First of all I don't wanna wait for every fucking guy without the balls to finally gather. And because the next time you decide to get us all killed, like today in the Dragon Pit, I don't want to be near you."

Jon sighed very silently " At least you are going to have good company."

The Hound looks at Jon with a confused look.

"Lady Brienne and Podrick Payne and some soldiers of the north are going straight to Winterfell."

The Hound looked relieved into the flames."Could have imagined a worse company for traveling"

Jon smirked."Let me guess my sister?"

The Hound lets out a quiet laugh. "Aye, I said worse not the worst "

The rest of the night Jon and the Hound exchange stories from the little wolf girl of Winterfell till they grow too tired and went to sleep.


	2. Stairs Of Death

Tormund Giantsbane

 

First, when they saw the giant dragon everybody was in shock. They could barely breathe and their whole body began to tremble. Just when the dragon began to breath blue flames they realized that they had to get off the wall.

 

The first men began to run down the stairs and Tormund was about to join them but suddenly he felt a hand grab his shoulder. He turned and was ready to punch the man in the face for trying to slow him down. Until he realized it was Beric who pointed to the west side off the walls.

 

"The wall is going to fall and we with it if we climb the fucking stairs " Beric shouted as loud as he could.

 

Tormund decided it would be better to join Beric than the fools running down the stairs. He tried to inform the other men but it was to late, the walls began to fall apart and Beric was already on his way to the west side of the wall.

 

Tormund began to run as fast he could. The wall was breaking apart underneath his feet but he kept on running. The safe side of the wall wasn't more than 4 feet apart when the wall fell.

 

The ground under Tormunds feet disappeared. In the past, he would imagine dying of old age or in a fight with a bear or something but he definitely didn't think he would die because the great wall would fell and he would stand on top of it.

 

Beric s hand which grabbed him at the upper arm tore him out of his thoughts and the second arm followed. Tormund reached up with his free hand and pulled himself up until he would sit next to Beric on the ground who was totally exhausted.

 

He looked down at the fallen part of the wall. Beric was right every men who climb down the stairs has fallen with the wall and would soon join the army of the death. Tormund hole body was trembling and so was Berics. They saw the big, giant dragon who breathed blue fire to destroy the wall in less than a minute witch stand for a couple of thousands of years.

 

The yellow dragon who once belonged to the dragon queen and who came to rescue them from the army of the death has joined them now. His eyes were blue like ice and he has holes in his wings.

 

On top of the dragon sat a man, who had to be the night king. Tormund couldn't really see because the dragon flew south now and he was really happy that it flew away from them.

 

Then he looked to the ground the first who rode through the hole in the wall were the white walkers on their dead horses. Followed by wights. Tormund also saw some dead giants and animals. 

 

Beric and Tormund sat there and didn't move or speak until every single wight of the army of the dead passed the wall. It took a couple of hours and when they finally passed and began to move south the could see the whole army of a least hundred thousand wights marching south trying to kill everyone and everything that had hot blood running through their body.

 

Just after the army of the dead was out of sigh Beric stand up and Tormund followed him.

 

"What are we going to do now." Tormund said trying to make his voice strong which only worked half.

 

"We are going to warn the brothers of the Nights Watch to move south and then ride for Winterfell"

 

"It is suicide to go to Castle Black. We are not going to be faster than the army and when we are slower it wouldn't matter anyway. I won't risk my life for the crows when I have no chance to get out of there alive"

 

"Do as you think but I want to give those men at least a chance to live"

Tormund sight " Alright but I will head straight to Winterfell"

 

Beric and Tormund walked west together till the next option to get down the wall came and they had to say goodbye.

Tormund grabbed Beric by the shoulder and said "Hope your mission is going to be successful would be a pity around that flame sword.

 

Beric smiled and gave him a weak nod. Then Tormund turned around and began to climb down the stairs and headed towards Winterfell.


	3. Familiar Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always missed that in the show the Stark children hadnt have the direwilves dreams like in the books. So i decided i would change that. Leave comment what i should do different or better .Thanks for reading hope you enjoy it.

Arya

 

It was a dark night. Nymeria was running in the woods and she could hear the snow beneath her paws. She looked around and saw at least 30 other wolves who followed her.

 

She continued to follow the trace of a deer but suddenly she heard screams. The screams were far away and the wolves stopped for a couple of seconds. She recognized they were waiting for the reaction of their leader. Her. She breathed in the fresh air and enjoyed the scent of the fresh snow and the woods for a second.

 

Then surprisingly for her pack mates, she began the run in the direction where the screams came from. The wolves followed her even when she could smell the fear of her pack. They ran as fast as they could and the closer they got the louder the screams got.

 

All of the sudden the screams were over sound by a big roar and finally a sound that she didn't know. The first wolves stopped running and finally, Nymeria stopped too. She looked back and saw how her mates trembled. She could smell their fear as strang like never before. She knew she had to know what was going on, where the sounds came from.

 

She looked at her pack and bumped out a quiet howl that symbolized the wolves they should wait here for her.

 

She began to run again but not as fast as before. She could still hear the unknown sound, now louder and more dangerous than before. She was near the edge of the woods when she stopped running. Now she was moving very slow till she could see the wall.

 

The sound came from behind the wall where she could see a strange blue light. The men on the wall were panicked and ran down the stairs. Nymeria wondered why, when she met human they drew their swords or screamed and ran away. But those men were on the ground and just a few feet from the wolfs away but the men. The men on the wall were running from something that was beyond the wall. But why they have a wall between them and their fear, Nymeria thought. 

 

It only took a couple of seconds until Nymeria understood why the men were running for their lives. The wall began to fall down and with it the men who were climbing down the stairs. Suddenly she could see from what they were running. The blue light belonged to a giant dragon who breathed ice blue flames.

 

The big dark shadow of the dragon passed over Nymeria and began to fly big circles in the air like it was waiting for somebody or something. That's when Nymeria looked to the wall and saw thousands of people pass it. Or at least they looked like people they moved strange and without any motivation.

 

The first minutes Nymeria wasn't able to move she just wanted to get back to her pack and move as far away from whatever this was. It took her at least seven minutes until she was able to move her feet. She moved as slow and quiet away from the edge of the woods as possible even when these "people" were still over half a mile away.

 

When she got deeper in the woods she began to ran as fast as she could and was relieved to find her pack waiting for her just a couple of minutes later. The wolves could clearly smell her fear and how tense she was. They got fast to their feet and followed her south.

 

They were running for at least for an hour when Nymeria decided they could lower their speed. Now that they were moving slower a couple of wolves disappeared in the woods just to return with fresh meat.

 

After they ate they continued to move. Suddenly she heard the snow cracking underneath boots. She looked back at her pack and they knew they should wait for her.

 

She sneaked near the sound just to see a man in long brown and black cloak marching alone. Something was strange about this man. Nothing with his looks or the way he moved but his scent woke something in Nymeria that told her she should follow and protect him. She also felt something that told her to tear this man into pieces. She felt hate but at least a hundred times more love for him.

 

She quickly returned to her pack and decided to follow the man.

 

Arya woke up her whole body covered in sweat. Her arms were trembling as she stood up to put on a tunic and some pants. Then she grabbed Needle and her dagger just to storm off her room a minute later.

 

She ran to Sansa's room and opened the door and found her room empty. Arya figured she would be in her office after all she was still the lady of Winterfell till Jon returns. 

 

On her way to Sansa's office Arya tried to calm herself by taking deep breaths and telling herself that it was just a dream and not real. But she knew it was real.

 

She and her wolf Nymeria were like twins, sometimes when Arya dreamed her mind was one with Nymerias body. She could see through her eyes what was happening, taste the fresh blood from the deer or boar Nymeria ate, smell the fresh and calming scent of the woods around her or feel the exhaustion in her body.

 

Nymeria couldn't see what Arya was seeing or taste the food she was eating but in a way she shared her mind with Arya. She recognized the people Arya knew, not just by the looks but also by the scent of their body and she knew how Arya felt for those people.

 

As Arya reached Sansa office she decided to knock on the door. A shaking voice answered that she could come in.

 

She found Bran sitting next so Sansa in his wheelchair. His face was pale and it had traces of sweat but his body was completely calm. Sansa's face was even paler and her whole body was shaking. Her Tully blue eyes were fixed on the fire which was burning in the wood stove.

 

She was standing at the door for a couple of minutes till Sansa found her voice again."Come in we have news."

 

Arya closed the door and Sansa finally removed her eyes from the fire. Just a quick look at Arya and Sansa knew that her sister already heard what happened at the wall. Arya was still covered in sweat and her body didn't stop trembling.

 

Arya saw the confused look on Sansa's face who clearly didn't understand how she could already know when Bran had only told her.

 

"I had a dream about it ." Arya tried to have a calm voice but failed.

 

Sansa stood up and gave Arya a tight hug. When she finally released her she looked at her table and said. "We will have to write to the Karstarks and the Umbers their castles are further north than Winterfell, they need to send everybody here before the army of the dead is there. We also have to send a raven to White Harbour for Jon."

 

Arya nodded and looked at Bran who understood that he should write the letters because he his hand wasn't shaking at all.

 

"It is okay I will handle the letters you two get some rest," he said with a cold emotionless voice, which made Arya shiver. She looked at her brother and asked herself where he left the Bran she knew and why he had no emotion left at all.

 

Arya was in her chamber for only half an hour before she heard a small knock at her door.

 

"Come in ." She said in a quiet voice. She wasn't surprised to find Sansa enter her chamber who was much calmer now.

 

"Can't really sleep with this new message. The army of the dead are going to kill everybody north of Winterfell and will come with an even bigger army than now." Sansa sat next to Arya on the bed before she continued. "Bran said there are at least hundred thousand wights in the army of the dead and a giant dragon who breaths blue flames."

 

"I know," Arya whispered and pulled her knees to her chest.

 

"Your dream, was it a wolf dream?" Arya nodded."And what happened exactly?"

 

Arya told Sansa what happened in her dream, she wasn't sure if she should mention the man in the cloak who she felt familiar with.

 

"And when she and her wolfpack were running south she met a man. The man didn't see her. She didn't want to attack him but didn't want to leave him alone either. It felt like he was somebody I know. That is where the dream ended."

 

Arya looked over her shoulder as she waited for Sansa's reaction just to find her asleep. She was happy that finally, she had a close bond with her older sister. With her she could speak about things she couldn't with Jon, not because she didn't trust him, no Jon was still her favorite sibling, always was, it was because Sansa didn't judge her for what she did or feel in the past, she did accept her now. With Jon, Arya was afraid he would still see the little happy and rebellious child who left Winterfell. But she didn't know maybe he had changed in that.

 

Arya was certain she couldn't find sleep this night without a nightmare about the big shadow of the dragon. She just sat in her bed and thought about the dream. Especially about the man and the strange feeling that came up in her.


	4. Like the Sun and the Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a little bit longer to release this chapter because school started again. I am sorry .But i will try to post every or every secound weekend. Tanks for reading hope you enjoy it.

Podrick Payne

 

It was early in the morning when the Hound came into his tent and yelled at him that he should wake up. Podrick was exhausted from yesterday when he and lady Brienne trained. His head was also aching because he decided to spend his last night with Tyrion drinking before he rode to Winterfell.

 

Tyrion would follow in one or two fortnights mayhaps even three. Tyrion's whole life had changed, he was the hand of the dragon queen now. He had to accompany her everywhere and he was her most trusted advisor.

 

When Podrick met him after a long time he thought he would have stopped drinking and would be serious now. But just the following night Podrick knew he hadn't changed to much. Tyrion was just as happy to see Podrick again and consisted to wake up early to say his farewell.

 

Podrick stood up and put on a tunic and a jerkin and stepped out of his tent that he shared with three other soldiers. The Hound was already waiting for him in front of the tent with his normal grim expression on his face.

 

"You took your sweet time lad, now come, lady, Brienne, and Snow are already waiting at the table to break our fast."

 

Podrick just quickly nodded and walked with the Hound towards the tent where they would break their fast. When he entered the tent he found Lady Brienne and Lord Snow just like the hound said. He greeted them firmly and joined them at the table.

 

Just a few minutes later Tyrion joined them."Good morning everybody. This is going to be the last good meal for a long time for some of you." He looked at Podrick, Brienne and the Hound.

 

"Well, I can't wait to ride North and freeze my ass off" the Hound growled in a deep voice.

 

"Well, I heard you left Lady Sansa in charge at Winterfell," Tyrion said while looking at Jon.

 

"Yes, she has support from my younger sister and brother."Jon said with a little smile on his face which disappeared when he added: "And Littlefinger but you cant call that support or help."

 

"On your expression, I can see you miss your two younger siblings. I didn't know they were alive I am surprised. Especially about Arya, I thought she would have died years ago after she fled Kingslanding"

 

"She isn't easy to kill that I can promise," Brienne said with a smirk on her face.

 

Podrick could only agree. Arya Stark had often trained with Brienne when they were in Winterfell. She was over a third smaller than Brienne but most of the time she would win or there would be a draw. She had a completely another fight style than Lady Brienne, she called it the Water Dance. It really reminded him of a dance.

 

She had changed so much since he saw her near the vale with the hound. She still wore boys clothes and she didn't grow much but her hair was longer and her facial features changed. She was a grown woman now.

 

Sometimes Podrick rode into a small town outside the walls of Winterfell which was called Wintertown. He would go into a tavern and enjoy the peaceful minutes when Lady Brienne didn't train with him. The first night when he sat down with a couple of soldiers he met in Winterfell, an old man joined them.

 

Podrick got into a conversation with the old man whose name was Daron. Podrick told him about his life as a squire for Lord Tyrion Lannister and Lady Brienne of Tarth. Daron was a good listener but after he told how he and Lady Brienne finally saw the two Stark sisters reunited, Daron began to talk about them.

 

"The Stark sisters , yeah I remember them when they were little. I was a cook at the feast when King Robert Baratheon visited Winterfell after a long time. Everybody used to say that the Stark sisters were like the moon and the sun. I always thought they would just say that because they would look different. And then the chef cook kicked me out of the kitchen that night said that I wouldn't have any talent in cooking and that I should serve wine in the great hall. And the people were right. While Sansa wore a nice dress, spoke with the ladies and the queen and blushed at every glance from Joffrey, Arya played with her food and talked some serving boys and her brothers. It lasted till she decided to throw a piece of her food at lady Sansa and was taken away from lord Robb."

 

"They are still like sun and moon but now they are getting along."Podrick smiled.

 

"I delivered a wagon food a few days ago that is when I saw lady Arya again. In her youth, everybody always called lady Sansa the pretty one but now I am not so sure anymore. She had the true northern looks and remind me of her aunt Lyanna Stark."

 

That was the first time Podrick heard somebody compare Arya to her aunt but it happened many times after that. He agreed with Daron that it wasn't sure who of the Starks sisters was more pretty. They both couldn't look more different. They were both beautiful in their own way.

 

Podrick didn't get to know lady Sansa so well because she always was around where lord Baelish was. She hadn't much time left to speak to an unimportant squire. But lady Arya had asked him if he would train with her when lady Brienne wasn't around. Arya would always win but she showed Podrick some new moves that he tried to use against lady Brienne with no success.

 

She even went to the tavern with him two or three times where she told him about the travels with the Hound or the brotherhood without banners. She also told him about a man who stood up for her who was called Yoren or a fat cook friend who worked at an inn next to the kingsroad.

 

Podrick was quite happy to ride to Winterfell and see her again. They became good friends in that short time.

 

When the breakfast was over Podrick went back to his tent to grab his things. When he stepped out he found Tyrion waiting for him with a smirk on his face.

 

"Well, it is a better goodbye than the last time. I will miss your company but we shall see each other in a couple of fortnights."

 

"Goodbye my lord, take care."With these words Tyrion gave Podrick a nod and turned to walk to his tent and catch some sleep.

 

When Podrick went to the horses. Lady Brienne and Sandor were already on their horses. Podrick joined them fast and they began to ride away from the camp.

 

Podrick looked back .a last time to see the giant green dragon who began to fly over the camp and wake everybody. When he turned back he felt something fell on his cheek. He looked up and saw lonely snowflakes dance to the ground.

 

Winter was truly coming.


	5. The North Remembers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy reading. Feel free to leave kudos and comments.

Tormund Giantsbane

Tormund was walking through ice and snow since half a sennight but all he found were abandoned houses and little farms. He was glad that the people weren't dumb enough to stay here but he wouldn't mind some company. 

 

He hadn't talked to anyone since Beric decided to go to Castle Black. Tormund still didn't understand why anyone would do that. He spends his time singing old songs he learned as a child and thinking about how Winterfell would look like.

 

Jon Snow wouldn't shut up about Winterfell and his childhood. He told him everything, what he used to do there, how he was always reminded by everyone that he was a bastard. Everyone but his little sister. He talked about his little sister the most, always with a painted look on his face.

 

She was called Arya or something like that Tormund didn't remember. But he could see that she meant a lot to Jon perhaps the most since Ygritte died. But he also knew that his little sister was dead. Nobody ever saw her corpse or something but when you are a little girl who escaped the "mad " queen and Kings Landing and your whole family is dead or captive or somewhere far away, you don't have a chance to survive.

 

Jon also told him that he would have liked her that she was fierce and a little rebel and the opposite of Sansa. When Jon spoke of Arya and who she was Tormund saw that Arya and Ygritte had a lot of similarities. 

 

When Jon talked about his sister behind the wall all the men would be quiet and everybody looked kind of sad. Tormund never understood why he thought maybe because they had pity with Jon.

 

The Hound would stop on threatening to kill him. Beric and Jorah would pause their conversation and even the lad Gendry would stop complaining that he got sold to the red witch.

 

Everybody wore a strange expression just he and Jorah didn't but he didn't really mind. He also thought about Brienne of Tarth. The lady knight how many people called her. Or the big woman how he called her.

 

He thought about how it will be to meet her again. Hopefully, she returned to Winterfell so they could meet as soon as possible again.

 

While Tormund ended his thoughts and started to sing a song about a fisher and a bear he noticed a tiny little dot on the end of the horizon. He thought it would be another abandoned house where he could set his camp for the night. But when he got closer he could see that smoke came from the chimney.

 

After an hour Tormund reached the house. When he stood in front of it he saw that it wasn't an ordinary house it was an inn. The water in Tormunds mouth began to gather. Next to the inn stood an old wooden stable where four horses stood. He assumed that two or three horses belonged to the owner of the inn so there weren't many guests.

 

He pushed the heavy door open and stood in the inn. On his right side were a couple of tables with benches and chairs but he didn't pay much attention to it because on his left was a desk where a man was asleep in a chair. Tormund thought it was the owner and walked slowly towards the desk. 

 

He hit his fist on the desk and the man behind it jumped up. He looked annoyed and angry but Tormund would be too when somebody would wake him like that.

 

"Do you want to rent a room?" the man said with a calm but annoyed voice.

 

"Yes and then i would like to eat something. I hadn't had a proper meal in days." Tormund answered with a smirk on his face. He already dreamed of the food.

 

"That will be three coopers for a night"

 

Tormund grabbed in his pocket , he made sure to get some money from Beric before they parted. Normally he wouldn't have these coins because is a wildling and when you want something you trade it, steal it or fight for it.

 

He found three copper coins just enough to rent the room.He had a big smile on his face until he realized that it wouldn't be enough for food. He put two copper coins on the table and smiled.

 

"Three copper coins not two"

 

"Well I don't have more and I don't think there will be guests tonight who will top my offer."

 

"If you only have two coopers you can sleep in the eating room."

 

"Will I at least get some food."

 

"Bread and water and sleeping in the eating room for three coopers."

 

Tormund pulled out his last copper and added it to the two others. The man behind the desk smiled and took the coins.

 

"My daughters should bring you a blanket and the food when you want it."

 

Tormund nodded and turned to walk to the eating room. He sat down on a bench where he wanted to eat and sleep. Just a couple of minutes later the first daughter arrives with a blanket.She had long brown hair and a nice looking face not like her grim and old father. She gave him a small smile before she walked away to get the bread and water.

 

After he got his bread and water Tormund just sat there and ate. After he was finished he continued to sing songs. The man behind the desk looked at him annoyed but didn't say anything.

 

After one or two hours he heard horses from outside. Just a couple of minutes some men entered the inn.

 

The men paid for two chambers and then went straight to the eating room. Tormund took the blanket from to bench to symbolize them that they could sit next to him. After the men sat down with Tormund they introduced themselves. The two younger lads were around twenty and two and were called Ramon and Salter. Then there was Trello a fat man with a long brown beard and black teeth. And an older man who wore an angry expression and didn't say a word.

 

"And this is Ser Ilyn Payne," Ramon said.

 

"He doesn't like to speak, does he."

 

The faces of the men grew straight and finally, Trello answered."Yes, they call him the silent knight."

 

After that, the men told him that they are from Kings Landing and that they were sent from the queen to search for the long-lost princess in the north who was probably dead. They had searched for almost four and a half years now but they couldn't return without the girl or proof that she was dead.

 

Tormund didn't like these men, under other circumstances he would have killed them but they were his only company and outnumbered him.

 

When they asked him what he would do this far north he said he would visit some family and tried to gain more information from them. They told him how they once met the queen in person and how they escaped the brotherhood without banners. Finally, the daughter of the owner of the inn came with food for the men. She wore the same smile on her face and placed the food on the table.

 

"Thank you for the food," Trello said with a deep and unclear voice just before grabbing the ass of the girl.

 

The girl gasped and bound away to the side. Just after a few seconds, she continued to wear the smile from before. The two young lads were laughing and even the creepy Ser Payne crooked a smile. Tormund found it was a what a coward would do but didn't protest because the girl disappeared right away before the men could insult her again.

 

Just when Tormund watched as the girl went to the kitchen he noticed that a man was sitting on the table next to them. He must have come after the four men and when he came from outside than without a horse but Tormund assumed he would come from one of the chambers in the inn.

 

The man sat with his back to him so he could see his face. He found it kind of strange that this man sat alone and listened to their conversation but he didn't really mind. After a while, another girl came to bring them new ale. Tormund thought it would be another daughter of the innkeeper.

 

"Where is the pretty sister of yours?"Salter asked while staring at her chest and not her face.

 

"She has other work to do m~lord."The girl said with a steady voice. She seemed to be more fierce and braver than her sister who could barely look at the men. She was just about to turn around and go when Ramon grabbed her by her arm to hold her in place.

 

"You are pretty enough for me though."He said with a horny look on his face. He was just about to pull the girl closer two him when the girl slapped him across the face.

 

"You little bitch you gonna pay for this and the sister of yours too."He screamed at the girl and dug his nails into her flesh.

 

"Enough you son whores leave the damn girl be and take your bloody horses to search for the lost girl." Tormund was standing now with his battle-ax in his hand. Ramon released the grip on the girl who ran to the kitchen where father was waiting.

 

"How dare you to raise your word against soldiers."He said with a high voice.

 

"Not just any soldiers. Lannister soldiers sent from the queen to find and kill the daughter of a traitor."Salter added.

 

"And what you are going to use that ax of yours to kill all of us. And you forgot that he has one of the most popular executioners who killed that traitor of the north, Lord Eddard Stark. He is just going to cut your head of like his. Four against one."Trello had a wicked smile on his face when he said the sentences.

 

"Four against two."The man at the other table had turned around and Tormund could see his face. Tormund was surprised that he would be glad to see the annoying lad again. Gendry holds his Warhammer in his right hand and waited for the soldiers to attack. He had fury in his eyes as he had never seen him have before. Gendry was especially starring at the mute knight.

 

It didn't take five minutes till the dumbest of them all started to attack Gendry who smashed Ramon's skull before he could lift his sword fully above his head. While Salter went for Gendy Trello and the silent knight attacked Tormund.

 

Trello swung his sword on Tormund who ducked and ran his ax through his belly. In the meantime, he saw how Gendry had smashed the face of Salter too. 

 

Then he saw a sword swing in his direction, he would almost have forgotten about Ser Ilyn who was quick enough to strike his left hand so that he had to drop his ax. Tormund wore a painted expression on his face when he had to move back to escape the Lannister sword.

 

It wasn't long till he reached the wall of the inn where he had to stop. He saw a wide grin grew on the knight's face as he raised his sword to kill Tormund. Sweat ran down his neck and he closed his eyes.

 

Again Tormund would wish to be killed while fighting a giant bear or while fighting for something he desires. Not while trying to protect some random girl in a random inn. Well, it was certainly better than falling down with the wall.

 

He got torn of his thought by a sword falling to the ground and heavy breaths. He opened his eyes and saw that Gendry had hit the knight. But this time he didn't aim for the head he smashed his right leg with his hammer. The knight was kneeling on the ground and breathing heavily.

 

Gendry knelt down in front of him and grabbed him harshly by the neckline of his jerkin and pulled him closer to his face.

 

"You have done wrong to my friends. You killed an innocent man and you knew he was innocent. Somebody else should have the opportunity to kill you but I am afraid she can't anymore. So I am here to revenge her and I was making sure that you would get a slow and painful death."

 

The fury in his eyes grow and he grabbed the dagger at his hip and slowly moved it to his throat.

 

"The north remembers" were the last words he said before he cut his throat and watched as he took he last breath.

 

After a couple of silent minutes he stood up and turned to face Tormund.

 

"I guess we have to keep moving I don't want to wait here." He looked down at the silent knight again before heading for the door of the inn. On his way out Tormund stopped in front of the owner of the inn who seemed to be afraid of him.

 

"Take your family and ride south to Winterfell. You are no longer safe here. The army of the dead could be here any minute."The man just nodded quickly before he turned to go into the kitchen.

 

When he quit the inn he found Gendry with two horses of the dead soldiers waiting for him. He handed him the rein and swung on his horse. Tormund followed him and they rode silently for a couple of minutes. When they reached the forest Gendry turned and looked back at the inn.

 

"Why did you hate that knight so much.? Did you know him?"

 

"No I never met him before but he killed Jons father and Jon is my friend."

 

Tormund didn't believe that that was the reason why he hated that knight so much but he had more desire to sing some songs than to question Gendry. He had a strange feeling while he sang not just because Gendry was completely silent and didn't complain at all. No, he felt watched and his horse acted kind of nervous but every time he would look around he would see anything but trees and snow.


	6. Fat Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The POV in the flashback is mostly from Arya. Hope it isnt confusing.

Podrick Payne

 

They were a half fortnight on the road and had at least two or three more fortnights left before they would reach Winterfell. The sun began to set when they stopped at a clearing in a forest so set up their camp.

 

Podrick was really happy about that, back when he was a squire of Tyrion Lannister he never had to be on the road longer than a fortnight. But when he travelled with lady Brienne to find the lost Stark sisters, he was on a horse for more than half a year. He knew how to ride a horse but he wasn't really good at it.

 

Not like lady Arya. It looked like she rode right after the day she was born. He learned quickly that he should never race her when he wanted to win. Well nobody should race her when they wanted to win.

 

She was one of, when not the best rider in the seven Kingdoms and mayhaps even Essos. But it didn't matter to him, he would gladly race her and spend time with her. He remembered the first time they would ride in the wolfswood outside the walls of Winterfell.

()

Arya just ended a council meeting with her sister, brother a couple of northern lords. She hated these council meetings they were boring but necessary. Sansa insisted that she would be there and so the North would know that Winterfell is ruled by all of the three Stark siblings till Jon would return.

 

She couldn't wait to see Jon again he was the person she would miss the most while she was in Braavos and who wasn't dead. Arya felt a weight on the heart when she thought about all the family and friends she had lost since she entered Kingslanding.

 

She felt tears wheel up in her eyes and decided to distract herself.She went to her chambers and changes into more comfortable breeches.

 

When she was younger and wanted to get something of her mind she would go for a ride in the wolfswood. She was never allowed to ride alone so she always asked Jon. Her lady-mother didn't like Jon and always told her that he was a bad influence on her. Arya knew better and loved Jon no matter what others said. When her mother would see that she was going for a ride with Jon, she would always send Jory with Arya and keep Jon at Winterfell.

 

Arya liked Jory, he was her favourite guard. He was always kind to her and her sibling. Sometimes he took Bran, Jon and her fishing at a river in the Wolfwood. Sansa never wanted to come and Rickon was too young.

 

When she caught her first fish she carried it into Winterfells kitchen and told the cook that the fish would be her evening meal. 

 

But Jon was far away at Dragonstone with that Targaryen Queen and Jory was killed by the Kingslayer.

 

Arya was on her way towards the stable when she saw that Podrick was sitting in the yard polishing his sword. Arya walked towards him and greeted him. He looked up and smiled.

 

"Lady Arya, I see the council meeting is over." She always had to remind him to not call her a lady, after all, he was her friend now. In the couple of fortnights that he was at Winterfell, they became quite good friends. It didn't bother him that she wore tunics and breeches and he seemed to be fascinated by her fight style.

 

She liked him as well he was always kind and helpful. He always tried his best and didn't treat her like she was some lady from the south who couldn't protect herself.

 

"Just Arya, please. I figured I would go riding alone but I wouldn't mind if you would join me. I could show you the Wolfwood and where I caught my first fish."

 

She had already told that story. He smiled and stood up."Of course, Arya."

 

They went to the stables and took two horses. Arya rode out of the gate and waited for Podrick who followed a couple of seconds later. Podrick rode on the left side of Arya and began a conversation.

 

"I heard a man in the tavern last night who talked about how good the younger Stark sister could ride a horse and that no men had ever bested you in a race."

 

"Well, yeah. If you want to you can try your luck later, we just have to enter the wolfwoods." She smiled at him but he shyly turned his face towards the road.

 

After a couple of minutes, they had passed Wintertown and were almost at the Wolfwood. Arya stopped her horse and looked at Podrick.

 

"So a race from here to the river ?" Podrick nodded and grabbed the reins of his horse tighter.

 

She counted from one to three and they began the race. Podrick could keep up for the first three seconds but right after that Arya raced away. Podrick could see half of her brow, shoulder length hair fly in the wind the other half was tied in a bun on the back of her head.

 

When Podrick came near the river he saw that Arya waited there. She had tied her horse to a tree and symbolized Podrick to do the same. Her hair was messed up and she had a big smile on her face. When she first came to Winterfell she didn't smile at all. After one or two fortnights she began to smile but it was very rare.

 

When Podrick finally got down from his horse and tied it to a tree, Arya grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of the river. Podrick was surprised by that and blushed a little but she couldn't see it because his face was red from the cold wind.

 

"That is where Jory always brought us to fish." She pointed at the river that was now half frozen. Her voice sounded happy and innocent. She still didn't release his hand and looked at him after a couple of silent seconds. Her eyes were like liquid silver and her cheeks were a light red.

 

"I imagine you miss the times, my lady." Arya's face grew emotionless and her eyes looked like stone.

 

"Don't call me a lady." Usually, her voice sounded angry or annoyed when she reminded him not to call her a lady, but today she sounded sad like it would remind her of something ."We have to head back to Winterfell. Sansa certainly wonders where I am."

 

She released his hand and got on her horse. The whole way back she didn't say a word.

 

()

 

A rough hand on his shoulders tore him from his thoughts.

 

"Aye, you don't want to help set up the camp or what. Come help to hunt some animals what we can find. And what is that sad expression on your face anyway?" The Hound, Podrick and two other soldiers went hunting some rabbits or what they could find.

 

After they caught enough food for all the soldiers they returned to the camp. The fire was already burning and the soldiers were waiting for their food.

 

Podrick sat down to the fire and the Hound joined him. The Hound was drinking some wine and offered him some of it.

 

"So, I heard you and the little wolf became friends in Winterfell." Podrick only nodded, he was clearly uncomfortable when it came to speaking about Arya.

 

"Brienne told me you used to train with her."

 

"Yes, but I always lost."

 

"Aye, that is what I assumed."The Hound let out a burst of rough laughter."And does she still look like a little boy."

 

"No, she is a woman grown now. She has long hair and she isn't covered in mud anymore."

 

"Lad you need to learn how to hide your blush when you talk about her. I can even see it in the dark." The Hound smirked and Podrick blushed even more. 

 

The rest of the days Podrick tried to avoid the Hound and the embarrassing moment which worked out pretty well.

 

They were three fortnights on the road and the sun began to set when they reached an inn. All the soldiers began to tie their horses in front of the inn and Podrick joined them. It had been long since he had a proper meal and he wouldn't mind sleeping in a chamber. They still had to ride less than a fortnight to reach Winterfell. The nearer they got to Winterfell the tenser he got.

 

They entered the inn and Brienne, Podrick, the Hound and a couple of other soldiers sat down on a bench. After a couple of minutes, a serving girl came to ask what they wanted to eat. She took all the orders till the Hound tried to order two chickens. 

 

She looked at the Hound with a shocked look. After a couple of silent seconds, she said the food will arrive soon and turned away.

 

Podrick looked after her and expected her to go straight to the kitchens but she went to another serving boy and pointed towards their table.

 

Anger flushed into the lad's eyes and he began to move into the direction of their table. When he got closer Podrick recognized him. He was the boy who told them five years ago that Arya got kidnapped by a man with a half-burned face.

 

"Ser you have to leave the inn we won't give you food nor a chamber!"His voice was full of anger and hate. His eyes were focused on the Hound. The Hound looked up and smirked after a couple of seconds.

 

"You are the fat friend of Arya, aren't you?"

 

"I am. And her foe is my foe so get out!"He almost shouted with an angry voice.

 

"I believe it is better if we discuss this outside."Brienne stood up and symbolized them to go in front of the inn. Their discussion got quite an audience and most men looked into their direction.

 

The Hound stood up and began to walk outside when Brienne added. "Podrick you, too."He got fast to his feet and followed the Hound.

 

Outside of the inn, Brienne tried to explain to the man, who was named Hot Pie, that the Hound had changed and that he was on their side now.

 

Hot Pie shouted at the Hound for at least five more minutes before he calmed half way down and stared at them angrily.

 

"I won't believe this half burned monster nothing.I have to hear it from Arry herself!"

 

"We could always use a good cook in wartimes. Winterfells kitchen wouldn't mind it."Brienne answered with a calm voice.

 

Hot Pie seemed surprised and raised his eyebrows."You mean you would take me with you, to Winterfell?"Brienne nodded. Hot Pie looked at Podrick and he nodded as well ."But ... I don't know if Arry would be fine with it. I mean the last time I saw her after 5 years, she didn't even smile at me. She didn't even care."

 

"Lady Arya had to live through some hard and cruel times. Only the gods know what happened to her. But she needs friends to remind her that these times are over. Or at least that she isn't alone ." Podrick looked straight at Hot Pie, who nodded after a couple of seconds.

 

"I guess it is at least worth a try." He smiled at Podrick but his face changed immediately when he saw the Hound again."Still, don't like you." After that, he went back into the inn to finish his last shift.

 

The next morning they left for Winterfell with Hot Pie. Hot Pie wasn't really good at riding a horse but his skills were enough.

 

After half a fortnight when Podrick sat alone at the fire of the camp, they set up a couple of hours earlier and most of the soldiers already went to sleep, Hot Pie sat next to him.

 

"A couple of soldiers who helped me to cook those rabbits told me that you and lady Brienne were already at Winterfell."

 

Podrick turned slowly his head and looked at Hot Pie ."Aye, we were. Arya arrived there save."

 

Hot Pie smiled but his face grew serious after a couple of seconds."Was she... well did she act kind of strange ...I mean more like...did she seem so emotionless?"

 

Podrick turned his gaze again at the fire. "Aye, especially at the beginning. She wasn't happy, sad or any other kind of emotions. She never smiled or laughed. But after a while, some smirks played over her lips from time to time. Sometimes I could even see her smile. I don't know what happened with her after she and the Hound parted but she needs time to recover. And her friends and her family will help her. She will be happy to see you, I promise."

 

A smile grew on Hot Pies face.

 

"You know that I met her when lady Brienne and the Hound fought but I never heard how you got to meet lady Arya."

 

"Well we both got sold to the Night Watch, she was dressed as a boy and went by the name Arry. First, I wanted to steal her sword she called it needle but I learned very fast not to mess with her. She pointed Needle at me and after that Gendry threatened me he would beat me up when I would try to hurt her again."

 

"Who is Gendry?"

 

"Oh right...he got sold to the Night Watch, too. He is or better was a smith, I don't know what happened to him." Hot Pies faced darkened but he continued after a short while."We got attacked by white cloaks, they wanted to have Gendry, I still don't know why. Well after Arry lied to them that my dead friend was Gendry and that they already killed him, we were brought to Harrenhall.

 

"The worst place in the seven kingdoms. Well after we escaped from there we travelled through the wood and tried to find Winterfell. We became quite good friends in that time. All three of us but especially Arry and Gendry.

 

"I know that they always tried to annoy each other. Arry called him always a stupid bull and Genrdy called her a lady. He knew that she hated to be called that." Hot Pie smiled in the fire."Well anyways, they stayed together when I decided to stay at the inn. I didn't want to ask her what happened to him because I fear I might tear up an old wound ."

 

Podrick laid his hand on his shoulder trying to comfort him. "You should get some sleep we are likely to reach Winterfell in two or three days."He smiled at him and Hot Pie only nodded. Short after that, they both went to sleep.

 

And indeed after two more days on horseback, they could see Winterfell with the sigil of house Stark hanging down the walls. Hot Pies jaw dropped slightly open. Arry used to tell him everything about Winterhell ... or Winterfell he wasn't quite sure. But he never imagined it so big and majestic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going to be Arya. Thanks for Kudos and Comments they make my day.


	7. Comfortable Touch

Arya Stark  
Arya broke fast with Sansa and Bran just a few hours before she heard the guard's horn announce that some riders were approaching Winterfell. Arya's eyes were flushed with happiness for a couple of seconds, till she remembered that Jon would need at least one or two more fortnights till he would reach Winterfell.

 

Arya missed Jon horribly, like always. When she fled Kings Landing she thought a lot about her mother and Robb but not nearly as much as she thought of Jon. About his warm smile that would warm her day, about Needle and about the way mussed up her hair.

 

She still remembers the day they parted, as it was only yesterday. How happy she was when he gave her needle. Needle saved her life more than once and was the only thing she had left from her family when she was in Braavos.

 

She also thought about Jon the most, when she was in Braavos and when she travelled with the brotherhood or was captured in Harrenhall. But not when she travelled with the Hound. 

 

The times when she travelled with the Hound were the most horrible of her life. Not because of the Hound.She hated him first but after some time she started to like him. She still didn't forgive him for killing her friend but after all, it was Joffrey's orders. And the Hound was dead now, it didn't matter anyway.

 

She lost the most persons when she travelled with Sandor. She lost her mother and her brother. She saw how they made fun of Robbs dead body. How they cut off his head and replaced it with Greywinds. How they shouted "King in the North". If the Hound wouldnt have been there, she would have run into the twins and let herself get killed. She didn't care what would happen to her at that moment.

 

And the one saving her and giving her comfort was the bloody Hound. After the red wedding, there was only one person Arya wanted to see. Only one person she wanted to comfort her and to take her into his arms. But he had left her, he had chosen to leave her alone. It was the thing that hurt her the most. She always knew they would part someday, even if she didn't want to, but she never imagined that he would just leave her like that.

 

She never would have left him. She never would have left anyone from her pack. She left Sansa alone in Kinglanding but that was different, she did it so that she would survive and she would have brought Sansa in more trouble if she stayed there. She still shouldn't have left her there, alone in this horrible city with horrible people.

 

Arya still regretted it.But she would never leave family behind because of stupidness and stubbornness.

 

But that didn't matter as well because he was long dead. Sacrificed to a stupid god. For nothing.

 

A tear ran down her cold and light pink cheeks. She wiped it away fast. What is in the past will never change. 

 

She was glad that some riders were approaching Winterfell. At least something that would help her to get her mind of these dump and girly thoughts. 

 

Just a couple of minutes later she saw that four riders had entered through the gate of Winterfell, straight inside of the stables. She decided to wait outside and let the visitors at least get off their horses.

 

Moments later the first person stepped out of the stable. Arya recognized her immediately. Brienne of Tarth was one of the most recognizable people in Westeros. With her wide shoulders, blond hair and tall stature.

 

Arya and Brienne looked the exact opposite. She was petite and had long dark brown hair. But if you knew them longer than a minute, you would know how much they had in comment.

 

Brienne was one of the persons she had the most respect.

 

But her mind immediately drifted off of Brienne of Tarth when she remembered that Podrick was her squire and would never leave her side. She would have run into the stable right away when Podrick wouldn't have stepped out right after Brienne.

 

She began to run into his direction and threw her arms around his neck. Podrick caught her and was clearly surprised by her gesture. He let go of her when his eyes met Brienne's who was not impressed that Arya Stark would grow so close to a simple squire.

 

Arya stepped back so she could see his face. Even when his cheeks were red because of the cold wind, Arya could still see that Podrick had blushed. She wondered why she knew he wasn't a maid. She spends enough time in the tavern, with a hood or a different face so she wouldn't be recognized, that she heard the stories about him.

 

She never knew if they were true. She didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable by asking. At least not to uncomfortable. She knew that he got scared from every touch from her. She didn't mind though. She still grabbed his hand sometimes to drag him into a direction or gave him hugs.

 

"Good to see you again, Arya."He wore a warm smile which reminded her of Jons smile and her childhood.

 

"Missed you, too. Was way to boring here."She turned around to face Brienne."Good to see you again as well."

 

"Lady Arya."Brienne gave Arya a small nod."If you will excuse me and Podrick. There are two other people who want to greet you."

 

That was when the third person stepped out of the stables. There was a time she would have pierced that half-burned face from him if she had seen him. She thought she would never see that bloody grin on that ugly, burned face.

 

The Hound was standing there strong and alive. He travelled with Brienne of Tarth what confused Arya even more. She thought he was dead but apparently, he wasn't. She couldn't imagine that he had survived his wounds. Maybe she should have killed him or maybe not.

 

Arya still didn't know if she wanted him dead anymore. She didn't know how to react to the fact that he was alive and standing in front of her either. so she decided to say nothing and just stared at him.

 

After one or two minutes Sandor finally said something."You don't look like an ugly little boy anymore. Well, still a little piece of shit though."

 

"Hoped you would have died."Arya's voice and face were emotionless.

 

"Well should have killed me then." The Hound smirked.

 

"And who is the fourth visitor. I hope it is actually someone I can stand."

 

And that was when finally Hot Pie left the stables. He needed more time to dismount his horse.

 

Arya's eyes went wide and a little smile appeared on her face. She took a few slow steps towards Hot Pie before she began to run into his direction.

 

She threw her arm around his neck and hugged him tightly. Hot Pie needed a few seconds to realize what was happening before he hugged her back. The Hound made a disgusted sound and turned around to head to the great hall.

 

Arya pulled back to look at Hot Pie who had a surprised expression. She didn't expect him to follow her because she was kind of mean to him when they met after five years.

 

"Hot Pie. You followed me."Hot Pie only nodded with a big smile.

 

"Winterfell is much bigger than you said. It is a real castle and you really grew up here?"

 

Arya nodded."I can show you everything around here. Where would you like to start."

 

"Where is the place you can get food?"

 

Arya released a small and quiet laugh."Normally we eat in the great hall but it will take at least one more hour before lunch starts. But we can get something in the kitchen."

 

The rest of the day Arya showed Hot Pie everything in and outside of Winterfell and helped him get a job as a cook, what wasn't to difficult because Hot Pie was the best cook Arya knew.

 

After dinner when most of the lords and ladies finished their meal Hot Pie ended his shift and found Arya staring at a fire in the yard.

 

When he sat down next to her she turned her head and smiled weakly at him before she continued to stare into the flames.

 

They sat there and watched silently the fire for a couple of minutes. Before Hot Pie began to speak.

 

"Well, I guess you were right its called Winterfell, not Winterhell."Arya smiled softly still looking at the flames."You still remember how we met?"

 

"Aye, you were a bigger fool back then. Tried to steal needle."She gestured towards needle on her hip.

 

Arya and Hot Pie had to smile at that memory."I like the memories from the time we travelled together. Not Harrenhal but when it was just the three of us.You, me and Gendry."The smile disappeared from Arya's face and her grey eyes turned to stone."I meant to ask you for a while now...what happened to him?"

 

Arya swallowed loud and turned her head to face Hot Pie. Her eyes looked painted and full of anger but also happiness, loss and love.

 

Her voice was a whisper and Hot Pie could hardly make out her words."We travelled with the Brotherhood. A couple of nights before we reached the twins, I saw him sitting next to the fire, bending Lord Beric's armour. He chose to join the Brotherhood, he wanted to be their smith rather than help Robb and me."She swallowed loudly.

 

Hot Pie felt anger. How would Gendry do something like that? Every fool could see that he adored Arya. Why would he stay with the Brotherhood rather than with Arya? How could he betray her like that?

 

He saw the sadness in Arya's eyes. He expected to see anger but there was just pain.

 

"The next day a red witch came to our camp. She wanted to have Gendry. I don't know why and I will never find out. Beric and Thoros sold him for money. I saw in the eyes of the red witch that he wanted to hurt him. Most likely sacrifice him for her god."

 

Now Hot Pie knew why Arry hadn't told him what happened to him in the first place. He turned his head to look at Arya. Her eyes were filled with tears and her face looked like it was in pain. He never saw Arya cry or have tears in her eyes.Not when Yoren died.Not when the Tickler was about to torture Gendry. Even not the day after her father died and she met him.

 

He would miss Gendry. He never expected to see him again but he thought he would have deserved better than being sacrificed to a stupid god. He thought Gendry would once open an own shop and have a pretty wife and children.

 

But he could never have that. His whole life he was either in Fleabottom or on the run thru the Riverlands. He deserved better.He was the most honourable man Hot Pie knew.

 

Arya also thought about Gendry. She tried to push those thoughts away for the last years. But she couldn't anymore. She remembered everything from him. His smell, his face, his voice, every memory and his stupid grin when he called her milady.

 

He was the second person who stood up for her after her father died. But he hadn't promised her father like Yoren, he hadn't even know who she was. He was the only one she had left when Hot Pie stayed at the Inn. The only one around her she didn't want to run away from. And then he chose those fuckers over her. After everything, they have been through together. 

 

Arya felt the tears roll down her hot cheeks.

 

She still remembered the look in this eyes when the red witch took him and he sat in the back of a cart. She had often nightmares how he died when she travelled with the Hound.

 

Arya felt a heavy and warm hand rest on her left shoulder. It wasn't Hot Pie because he sat on the right side of her so she turned her head and saw that Podrick sat next to her. She didn't notice when he had sat down because she was to caught up in her thoughts.

 

She was surprised that she leaned her head against his shoulder. And even more surprised that he didn't pull away or shift uncomfortably like when she touched him normally.

 

She smiled lightly to herself. They sat like that for a couple of hours before she decided it was time to find some sleep. He offered her to bring her to her chambers but she refused because she wasn't one of those fragile Lady just because he saw her cry once.

 

She was exhausted and found easily sleep what was unusual.

 

She felt the snow crunch underneath her paws and smelled the fresh snow and the trees around her. She looked around and saw her pack following her.

 

They were still following the man but were forced to stop at the edge of the woods when the man entered a house.

 

Most of the wolves had gone deeper into the woods but Nymeria and a couple of her mates lay down nearer to the road so they could watch over the house.

 

After a couple of hours, another man arrived on foot and went into the house. After that nothing happened for a long time until she heard horse hooves from the distance.

 

A few hours passed and four riders arrived and entered the house as well after bringing their horses into the stables.

 

Nymeria lay there for another one or two hours when she heard the sound of steel against steel. She knew what was happening in there but she decided to wait. When the sound stopped two men were leaving the inn. The man she followed before and a man with red hair.

 

They took some horses and rode south. Nymeria wanted to follow them but she was to curious what had happened in the inn. She waited till the two men rode one or two miles when another man quit the inn. The man was dragging something behind him, after a few moments, Nymeria realized that it was a body of an older man.

 

When the man went back into the inn, Nymeria took her chance and ran to the dead body. She knew the grim face of the man and she felt nothing but anger and disgust for him.

Arya's eyes flew open and her body shot up. Her whole body was covered in sweat and her breathing was unsteady.

 

Ser Ilyn Payne.Ilyn Payne. Ilyn Payne.

 

She repeated the name a few times in her head before she could calm herself a little bit. She wanted to kill him for more than five years now but she never knew where should find him.

 

She certainly didn't expect him to be in the North and she couldn't imagine what he would want there.

 

But the question that burned the most in her head was who the two men where. Who had killed him and why?

 

Arya knew that she would get sleep this night with so many questions on her mind, so she sat on her bed and tried to focus on something different. The first thought that came to her head was the conversation with Hot Pie.

 

Her heart clenched in her chest and she decided that the thought of Ilyn Payne wasn't so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to release this chapter but school and some other projects or event are taking my time away. I just wanted to say that i wont leave this fan fic unfished so dont worry. Hope you liked this chapter and thanks for the kudos and comments.


	8. Annoying Dog

Beric Dondarrion

 

The days and night were quiet. All he could hear was the howling of the wind. He didnt see any sights of the army of the dead or a massive dead dragon but neither of castle black.

 

He barely slept because every hour could save the lives of the brothers of the nights watch. The Night Watch was the post witch should protect Westeros from what is beyond the wall. But for this threat they would need much more than a couple of hundred men, they would need a couple of armies ,Unsullied ,Dorthraki ,Northern men ,every men, women and child who could fight. They would need dragons and a good war strategie just to have a chance against the night king.

 

The cold was slowly freezing every inch of his body and every kind of movement became torture.

 

After what felt an endless time of travel he saw a cloud of smoke on the horizon. He prayed to the Lord of Light that it wasnt Castel Black burned by a dragon but he couldnt imagine what else it could be.

 

After a couple of hours he reached the spot where the cloud of smoke was coming from. The ruins that once was Castle Black the main castle of the Nights Watch.

 

All fire had died out and all that was left was ashes and smoke. The men didnt have a chance. Beric failed them ,they died at the post.

 

Beric was clad that the Night King used his dragon to end their lives and not his army, that way their corps had been burned and they wouldnt return as wights.

 

The silence is what killed Beric. He stood in the middle of piles of ashes. Just a couple of fortnights ago he stood in the same place with Sandor and Thoros surrounded by the brothers of the Nights Watch who gave them strange looks and locked them in a cell.

 

Just a couple of fortnights ago this place was filled with men who knew that they had to die while defending the wall against the thread.With thieves, rapers and honorable men who had to or chose to give their lives to the Nights Watch.

 

A couple of years ago when Robert Baratheon was king , everybody in Westeros looked at the Nights Watch as unnecessary or as a place for criminals to go.But it was much more ,it was the only thing that stood between Westeros and the creatures beyond the wall.

 

Beric sighted ,shivers ran down his back ,he looked at the sky and saw that the sun was setting. He decided to set his camp and to travel for Winterfell in the following morning.

 

He found some burned stonewalls where he began to build a fire and laid out his coat for a bed.

 

After he collected enough wood he could finally start a fire. The fire warmed his flesh and his bones, for the first time since he saw the wall fall, he didnt fell like freezing to death. He stared into the flames flames for a couple of minutes when he saw a picture of a city.

 

The city looked familiar...Kings Landing just without the Great Sept of Bealor. Suddenly a green explosion took over the city. The wildfire burned everything and everyone inside the city. Beric heard the screams of people who caught on fire and saw the buildings burn to the ground.

 

Berics breathing grew unsteady and heavy. The vision changed , the wildfire grew smaller and the buildings were reconstructed. The vision went backwards and soon enough Beric was there where the vision began. After that he saw two persons standing next to each other. One of them had a dagger in his hand ,the other a sword.

 

They walked into the Red Keep and the view of the whole city was shown again. Beric expected to see the city burn to the ground again but it didnt matter how long he waited nothing happened.

 

Then he knew that there were only two persons in Westeros who could save the population of Kings Landing.

 

Podrick Payne

 

All he got was a short reunion with Arya. He hoped to spend the day with her but she was busy showing her old friend Winterfell.

 

If it had been every other than Hot Pie ,Podrick would have been jealous but he was very sure Arya didnt have any feelings towards the cook.

 

It was after lunch when he was heading to the library to get some books for Lady Sansa when Lady Brienne stopped him.

 

"Podrick we have to clear some things up."Brienne said in a strong voice.

 

Podrick swallowed silently and replied with a small "Yes, Lady Brienne."He knew that she was going to speak about his close relationship with Lady Arya.

 

"I know that you and Lady Arya are friends and i have nothing against it but you know that you will never be more than friends to her."

 

It wasnt really a question but Podrick nodded anyway and Brienne continued."She is a princess of the North and will probably be married of for an alliance in the furure .I dont wish that you get your heart broken over something that never even had a chance."

 

With these words Brienne smiled softly and turned to leave.

 

Podrick knew that there was truth in what Brienne said but he couldnt imagine that Arya would ever marry for some alliance.

 

The rest of the day Podrick tried to get his mind off of her and tried to do all his tasks.

 

It was already dark outside when he saw her again. She sat by the fire with Hot Pie.

 

He decided to take the place to her left and sat down. Just after one or two minutes he noticed that a couple of tears were rolling down her cheek. He never saw Arya cry before. Most of the time she wore a hard expression on her face but not now.

 

Her face looked soft and sad. As if she was longing for something that was in the past. That could never happen again.

 

He didnt know how to react but his hand reached for her shoulder to comfort her. He shouldnt touch ,after all she was a highborn lady .He expected that Arya would be embarrassed that somebody saw her cry and push his arm away.

 

But to his surprise she leaned into his touch and rested her head on his shoulder.

 

They stayed like that for hours. Podrick could fell her body warmth on his shoulder and her steady and slowly calming breathing. Shivers were sent down his back by the closure of her. He couldnt describe the feeling but it felt like his whole world was one person in that moment.

 

Later Arya went to sleep and Podrick sat alone with a couple of other men he didnt knew by the fire. He knew that Brienne wanted to protect him to love someone who would never love him back. But he knew that she had warned him to late .

 

He fell for a princess of the North ,who could ride a horse better than any other men and beat everybody in a combat. He knew that he would never be good enough for her but it was to late and impossible to change his feelings.

 

The following morning he saw her seated at the high table breaking her fast with her sister and brother.

 

She wore her usual blanc expression and was focusing on her food. He took a seat at the end of the hall between some Northern men and broke his fast with them.

 

He was about to finish his meal when he felt a light touch on his shoulders. When he turned around he saw Arya smiling down at him.

 

Moments later he found himself in the yard training with Arya. Or Arya training him. He knew he wasnt a challenge for her but it made him happy that she would spend time with him.

 

They were nearly training for two hours when a rough voice sounded behind them.

 

"I see you learned how to use that thing." The Hound wore a wide smile.

 

He could see that Aryas face darked and that she wasnt pleased that he would be here but she didnt look like she wanted to kill him either.

 

"Shut up dog. Should have killed you but it is never to late."Aryas voice sounded angry and fierce.

 

Sandor only responded with a low laughter and grabbed a practice sword from the side."First show me what you learned in those years."

 

Arya moved needle behind her back like she always did before she would fight against someone. Podrick moved to side and leaned against a wall to watch the fight. He didnt try to stop Arya because he was sure she would easily beat Sandor and because he knew that he couldnt stop her.

 

They began to walk in a circle and held as much distance as possible. Arya stared Sandor into the eyes and he didnt break the stare. Her eyes were burning with anger ,fierceness and annoyance. She wanted him to respect her and she didnt doubt that he would after the combat.

 

His eyes were filled with softness and pride. Something that you usually didnt see in his eyes.

 

After a couple of minutes Aryas patience grew short and she swung directly at his chest. The blow was easily blocked and a sword came crashing down towards Aryas stomach. She turned to the side to avoid the block and lunged needle towards his side.

 

At the same time Sandor swung his sword ,which was aiming for the left hand of Arya with which she was holding needle.

 

Before needle could reach his side ,his sword made contact with her hand and Arya was forced to release needles grip because of the pain which shot up her left arm. She released a high pinched shriek and the eyes of the Hound filled with worry and confusion.

 

Arya took her change and grabbed the dagger at her hips. She jumped towards the Hound just to drop to her knees and slipped through his legs. Before Sandor could turn around to face her again , she jumped on his back and pointed the dagger to his neck.

 

Sandor dropped his sword and began to laugh. His low and loud laughter filled the yard and Arya couldnt help but smile. She would never say it out loud but he wasnt that bad after all. He changed , he wasnt the Hound anymore, he wasnt Joffreys dog anymore. No he was Sandor Clegane. 

 

He still was pretty annoying and ugly and not think about his smell. With those thoughts Arya jumped off his back and turned her gaze towards Podrick, who still leaned against the wall. He shot her a warm smile and Arya returned it.

 

The days passed and nothing really happened. Arya would break fast with her siblings and tried to help Sansa in running the North even when she wasnt a big help. She trained a lot with Podrick ,Brienne and Sandor. She would help Hot Pie in the kitchen but avoided any kind of conversation of her past with him.

 

She didnt have a wolf dream for a couple of days till tonight ,even when just a short one.

 

Nymeria was still following the two men south. They looked tried and exhausted by the way they were sitting on their horses. The shoulders and head were hanging downwards and they barley spoke to one another. They didnt take long rests because one of them wanted to move as fast as possible.

 

The environment looked strangely familiar and the scents around her too.Then they finally reached to top of the hill they were climbing and only one or two miles away she saw Winterfell. 

 

For a moment the stranger paused and looked down at the castle. The man who wanted to move so fast in the last couple of days looked like he wouldnt mind staying on that hill for the rest of his life and never move an inch nearer to Winterfell.

 

After half an hour of just staring at Winterfell the man with the orange hair convinced the other to move forward. He agreed but didnt seem to be in a rush to eat something after days of starving or to fell his boned again after weeks of freezing.

 

Nymeria watched the men ride towards and castle and took a quiet sigh before she turned around and ran back into the woods to her pack.

 

Aryas eyes flew open and she sat up in a rush.

 

Was it real or just a dream? Who were those men and what would they want? Were they foes or friends?

 

All those questions shot through her mind while she rapidly began to dress. When she was about to put on her second boot she heard that the horn were blown and that the guards had noticed the visitors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos and comments. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Byyeeee see ya


	9. Arrival

Gendry 

He slowly moved his horse towards the walls of Winterfell. His heart was beating like a thunderstorm and drops of sweat were formed on his forehead. But his thoughts were what killed him.

What if she isn't at Winterfell? What if she died right after I left her? What if she made it? Would she hate me?

A thousand questions were shooting through his mind.He didn't dare to hope she was alive and well in Winterfell. He didn't want to arrive with and have all his hopes get shattered like glass. He never knew back in Kings Landing if she would still live.He thought he would never find out, didn't really want to find out because the chance that she survived was so low.

 

But now he was minutes away from finding out. His vision was more blurry than usual and his head was aching. 

 

With every seconds the walls of Winterfell came closer and grew bigger. He remembered how Arya used to tell him about her home. Her eyes would sparkle when she tells how she played with her brothers and how she escaped the sewing lessons and how her sister would always be so shocked by her behavior. 

 

She told him how her room looked, where she used to eat and about the wormwood tree with the red leaves.

He liked her stories about Winterfell the most, not because they were more interesting than the other stories, but because her whole face lit up when she talked about her home.

He was torn from his thoughts when his horse suddenly stopped. They were standing in front of the gate of Winterfell. Two guards were standing at the side and began to slowly walk towards them.

"Who want to enter Winterfell and with what purpose?"A guard with a white beard half screamed

"We are friends of the king in the north and we are the only ones who escaped the wall fall." Tormund answered in a strong voice.

The second guard nodded and said in a rough voice."We still need the name of your companion and yourself."

"Tormund and this is Gendry."

"Dismount your horses and follow us to Lady Starks office. The lady of Winterfell should judge if she can trust you or not."

Tormund and Gendry dismounted their horses and handed the reins over to the guard with the white beard.

 

The other guard symbolized them to follow him and they took a step towards the gate which was being opened. When Gendry took the first step he felt unsteady on his feet.

Before they entered the castle the guard insisted that they should give up their weapons. Gentry didn't protest because even when there should be any attack he would be to nervous the lift his hammer an inch.

Torment wasn't happy, but after a short discussion with the guard and the promise that his weapons will be in safe hands, he left his weapons by the servant.

 

They were led through a couple of stone corridors after they reached a door made of iron and dark wood. Two guards were standing on either side of the door with their hands laying on the pommels of their swords.

The guard motioned them that they should wait and spoke with the other guards in a small voice so that they couldn't hear what they said.

They got a couple of glances before one guard knocked at the door and entered the office alone. Short time after he came through the door and only nodded towards Gendry and Tormund.

 

Gentry felt a wave of nervousness going through his entire body. His steps were slow and unsteady. Torment was right next to him, his face wore a happy expression and his steps were faster. Gentry expected it was because he could see the protector of Lady Sansa again. Lady Brienne of Tarth, Tormund wouldn't shut up about her the entire voyage and annoyed Gendry every day at least ten times with the topic.

They entered the room. At the end of the room a Lady with red, long hair and a pretty face, but a hard and unforgiving expression sat behind a wooden table. Gentry recognized that it was Lady Sansa. At the right sat a young man in a chair with wheels. Gentry had never seen a chair with wheels and didn't recognize the man who sat in it neither.  
Out of the corner of his eyes Gendry could see two other figures stand at the side of the room. He didn't want to look exactly at these people, at least not the moment he entered the room. He feared that Arya wouldn't be one of the two people who stood at the side. He feared she didn't make it after all.

Lady Sansa looked them both in the eyes before she ordered the guard to leave and close the door.

"I am pleased to see another friendly and familiar face enter Winterfell. I feared you have died at the wall, Tormund." Sansa said in a polite voice as she began to smile at the wildling.

"I am very pleased as well to say that me and Beric could flee. Beric decided to go to Castle Black so we split up. I met Gendry on my way here."Tormund turned his gaze towards Gendry.

"My Lady." Gendry bowed slightly and became even more nervous when Sansas smile disappeared as she looked right into his eyes.

 

The door opened and closed behind him, but he was too nervous to care who left or entered.

Sansa gaze went down to his toes and up the his hair. Her eyes were filled with rage like she would have known him.

"You find some company along the road and decide to bring him inside of Winterfell. You don't know who that man is. A glance at him and I know who his father was." Her eyes never left Gendry even as she was talking to Tormund.

"Lady Sansa this man is my friend..." He was cut off by Sansa.

 

"You bring the son of the man, who ordered my father to leave for Kingslanding where he was beheaded for false charge of treason, into Winterfell." She stood up and looked silently Gendry in the eyes. Her stare was like somebody would stab him with a dagger of ice.

Somebody unsheathed their swords at the side and Gendry turned his gaze to the two figures. His heart shattered into a thousand pieces and his eyes began to water. The one who unsheathed her sword was Lady Tarth and next to her stood a man he didn't know. But Arya was nowhere.

 

He knew that if she was in Winterfell she would be in that room to protect her family. She didn't make it and it was his fault. Why did he deserve to stand in her home when she died somewhere on the road. Her corpse probably never buried and no one there for her in her final moments.

A wave of guilt and self pity shot through his body. He tried to stay strong a little while longer and wait till he was alone but he couldn't. His gaze wandered back towards Sansa when he heard that someone else was speaking now. He couldn't make out any word, all he heard were the words of Arya. I could be your family.

His vision and hearing came back when he heard his name. It was the voice the man who sat in the chair with the wheels.

The door was torn open seconds later and somebody stormed off. Gendry couldn't see who it was but could see that the man who had stood next to Lady Tarth followed that person. He didn't really care, all he could think about was to find some privacy where he could release his feelings.

"Please lead our guests to their rooms, Brienne." Sansas voice wasn't filled with hate anymore and her eyes weren't stabbing daggers at him anymore.

Lady Tarth came forwards and led them the way towards their chambers. Tormund was trying to build a conversation, but Brienne was clearly annoyed by him and all Gendry could focus on being to follow Brienne and hold back his feelings. He didn't even wonder what the man in the wheelchair could have said that changed Sansas opinion.

Brienne pointed towards a door and Gendry didn't hesitate he turned to the door and disappeared into the room without his saying goodbye or thanks.

As soon as he closed the door, his body gave up. He fell to his knees and his back crashed against the door. The tears were running down his face and his whole body began to tremble. Sobs were escaping his mouth and sweat was covering his body.

She was gone. Gone forever. He would have done everything just to get the chance to see her one last time. To tell her how sorry he was and that he didn't mean it. That she had been the closest thing to family that he had ever had. That he was stubborn and stupid for leaving here.

All the memories of her were playing like a film in his mind. Her smile, her annoyed voice when he called her milady, her glance when the mountain selected him. How they have met, how she almost kicked Hot Pies and Lommies arses. How she protected him from the Gold Cloaks by claiming Lommy was him. All the memories of her made his sobs louder and his body trembles more uncontrollably.

Arya

A guard came from the gate and was followed by the two men she saw in her wolf dreams. She instantly recognized the bigger man with the red hair and beard. He wore a wide grin on his face and his movement looked fast and exited.

The other man wore a black cloak, his hood was pulled up to protect his face from the cold. His steps looked unsteady and his body was a bit shaking. Arya wanted to see his face, not only because she felt that strange somehow familiar feeling towards him in her dreams but also because his movement looked so off and strange that she knew that he was hiding something.

Arya decided to follow them silently without revealing herself. When they entered the castle and went down the first couple of corridors Arya knew where the guard wanted to take the two men.

Sansas office. Arya didn't like the idea of taking some strangers, and maybe foes, who just arrived at the gate right into the castle. And better right to Sansa. Arya made a mental note to yell at the guard for being so dumb.

After a couple of minutes, they reached the door where the guard stopped and entered the room without the men.

Arya had to have a better look at them. The grin on the gingers face seemed to have grown even bigger and the other man took off his hood. He had coal black hair, which seemed so familiar, but Arya just couldn't remember with so dark hair. He was shorter than his companion, but still a head taller than the average men. His shoulders were broad but his feet seemed unsteady.

When the guard left the room, he allowed the men access to enter. Arya had the urge to follow right away and stand by her sister's side to see who those men were.But something was strange and her head told her to wait behind and enter the room without showing herself, so she could defend her sister and brother more easily.

When she finally entered the room Sansa was talking to the black haired men with a cold and unforgiving voice. She addressed the ginger by name and blamed him how he could bring this man, who was the son of someone she knew, into Winterfell.

Arya stood at the end of the room, near the right corner. Her hand was gripping her Valiriansteel dagger and questions raced through her head. How did Sansa recognize him and who was his father. What were his intention and why did he look so familiar, even when she didn't see his face.

As Sansa went on with her speech Arya saw that Brienne was tense and gripped her pommel of her sword. Podrick gave her a pleading and uncomfortable look which assured her that he would like to everywhere else right now.

 

After that dead silence followed and Sansa seemed to stare daggers into this man. Arya was curious what happened before she entered the room, what that man had done or if her anger was just based on the fact that she knew who his father was.

Brienne started to pull her sword out a little more and the gaze of the man went towards her. At that moment something invisible seemed to have crashed inside the black haired man.

The silence was broken by the emotionless voice of her brother.

"It is true this man is the bastard son of Robert Baratheons but it is just a fact and we shouldn't judge him because who his father was."

Robert Baratheon. Arya hated that name, hated the man who decided to come to Winterfell and rip apart her family. She knew that her father always had respect for him, but couldn't really understand why he was nothing more than a fat, cheating and drunk piece of shit.

Now she knew why the black hair and the man seemed familiar.

"He has served King Jon well behind the wall. He helped him to catch a wight and he was the one who sent help to rescue them. If he hasn't made it, I fear we would have lost our... brother." He looked at Arya when he was about to say something else but stopped and let the silence take over.

Arya read the letter from the wall for a couple of fortnights ago. She knew she would have eventually had to thank him even when his father was a fool. She even thought that they might share their opinion about Robert Baratheon.

The tension got looser and Bran began to talk again.

"We would like to serve you with our hospitality Tormund Giantsbane and Gendry Waters."

Time seemed to stop when Bran spoke out that name directly looking at her. She hadn't heard that name in years. She tried to banish every thought she had of him. She tried to forget that she ever knew him. She tried to move on.

But she never could. Almost every day since she was back in Westeros she thought of him. How he broke her heart and how he wanted to leave her. But the murmured that hurt the most was that the red witch had bought him from the brotherhood and probably killed or tortured him or both.

She thought him dead for all these years, but he wasn't, he was standing in Winterfell a couple of feet away.

The only logical thing she could do was the get away from everybody as fast as she could. She stormed from the room and got some strange glance from some guards.

Her body was shivering and her feet were just as unsure as his when he entered Winterfell. The dreams began to make sense and so did the odd feeling.

When she finally left the castle and went into the fresh air, she could feel the warm teardrops running down her cheeks. Not one or two, but dozens of them. They wouldn't stop it felt like she had no control over her body.

Her body was shivering a little and her mind got lost in the memories. The memories how they laughed and ate together by the fire of the Brotherhood when they were children. The memories where they escaped death again and again. The memories of sitting in the rain in Harrenhall, just waiting who would get tortured today. The memories of her nightmares how he got killed by the red witch.

She would refuse to sleep for the next two months, after Gendry got sold, in the fear to be woken by one of those dreams. She often had had nightmares after her father got executed. Often woke up, bathed in sweat and breathing heavily. Often felt her body shiver and her mind screaming.

But all those times before, when she woke up there was someone to comfort her. Somebody who cared for her and held her as long as it took for her to relax. Sometimes she didn't even mind having a nightmare because she could feel the comfort afterwards.

But then he got sold. Sold to the red witch, who wanted to hurt him and probably kill him. She knew that there wasn't anybody in whole Westeros and Essos who could have comforted her that way.

When he was gone and she assumed that he was dead, her whole body was screaming to let go, to meet him and her lost family. But her heart told her, how disappointed he would be, to see the fierce, young girl to give up. And she couldn't bear the thought, so she kept on trying.

She first realized that it was worth it when she stood in the crypts of Winterfell and felt her sister's arms clung to her .Then when she met Bran, even when he has changed and the knowledge that Jon would arrive soon.

But she never even hoped to feel that kind of relief, what she felt when she heard his name in years again. But there he was. She wanted to run to him, right into his arms and hug him till she would be too tired to hold on. She also wanted to hit his chest and scream at him.

But she decided to run out into the fresh air, because she knew that her emotions are going to show and she didn't want anyone to see them.

In that moment she felt a hand on her shoulder. her head shot up in the fear in might be Sansa or worse Gendry. But she felt a strange kind of release to see Podrick gently smiling at her. He was the only person she wanted her to comfort now.

She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck. He could feel her tears running down his neck and sucking into his tunic. His arms were wrapped around her.

He didn't know why she would cry. He was pretty sure that it had something to do with the new visitors. But he wouldn't ask her.He surprised that she didn't scream at him or punch him for trying to comfort her. He knew that she didn't like to show emotions in front of others.

But somehow she was able to show them to him. He felt her petite body shiver in his arms and squeezed her tighter. He held her as long as she needed to calm down. When Arya was completely calm, she pulled away. She looked into his eyes and only smiled, before burying her face into his neck and pulling him into another hug.

Later that night when they parted, he still didn't ask her. He knew that she would tell him the reason when she was ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to say thank you to everyone who takes the time to read this. It means a lot to me to get feedback , so really thanks. And happy St. Nicholas Day :)


	10. Reunion

Gendry Waters

Gendrys breath begins to quicken, sweat is starting to run down his back and his voice was small but clear telling them to stop. His eyes fly open and he sees the ceiling of his chambers. Just another nightmare, how Arya might have done. Just another night without a calm sleep.

 

His back and neck hurt and he notices that he had slept on the floor just a couple of feet away from his bed. He knew that he had eventually fallen asleep while he cried last night. His heart begins to ache from the thought why he cried. His eyes begin to fill with tears but he rubs his eyes before any tears can fall and stands up.

 

He can't just cry his life away till the night king comes and kill the rest of Arya's family. The only thing that he can do for her now, is to keep her family safe. And that he can do best by smithing Drangonglas weapons for the North. He knows that Jon had sent Dragonglas to Winterfell if he should arrive before him.

 

He forces himself to change his old dirt and blood-soaked tunic for a new one, which had been laid out next to the bed for him. His muscles move slow and without motivation. He can't blame them. If it wasn't for Arya's family, especially Jon, he would run straight into a fire, to meet Arya again and to prevent turning into a wight.

 

He only saw a couple of them, but he just needed to look in one pair of these blue eyes to say that it was the most sickening thing that he ever saw. And he grew up in Fleabottom which wasn't the nicest place to live.

 

He was just about to leave his chambers and find the forge when he heard a powerful knock on the wooden door. When he opened the door, he saw Tormund grinning in his face. He was clearly in a better mood than usual if that was even possible, Gendry supposed it was because of Lady Brienne.

 

"Didn't eat anything last night, thought you would like to know where you could get breakfast." Tormund's voice was loud and energetic, which made Gendrys mood even darker and he grew more annoyed. But he knew Tormund was right and only nodded and then followed him towards the Great Hall.

 

The Great Hall was filled with people who were clearly waiting for something or someone. Gendry grabbed some food and seated himself next to Tormund. But still, nobody began to eat and after a couple of minutes of waiting the doors opened and Lady Sansa and Lord Bran were entering the room. Behind them, Brienne of Tarth and the man from yesterday followed.

 

The Hall grew quiet and the people were patiently waiting till Sansa and Bran were at the table at the front of the hall. Sansa stood up and said some words that the people can now begin their breakfast and the hall grew loud with conversations.

 

Gendry's eyes were still fixed on Sansa and he couldn't help but remember how Arya used to talk about her. Most of the time she would complain about her, how naive she was and how she had protected that dumb cunt Joffrey. She talked about how different they were and how Sansa and her childhood friends used to make fun of her. But Gendy could see the longing for her sister in her eyes, the hurt that she had to flee Kings Landing without her, the fear what they might do to her.

 

She never said that she hated her sister. If she would have, she would have been a liar. But she never said that she loved her sister either. But Gendry knew that she did, but she was too proud to admit it.

 

Now that he was looking at Sansa, he couldn't deny that she and Arya did look very different and they acted differently as well. But he couldn't agree that she was stupid or naive. One look in her eyes and nobody could deny it. He guessed that everybody had to change to survive.

 

Her gaze fell on him and their eyes met. Gendry immediately turned away and was embarrassed to be caught staring, especially after last night. He looked at his plate and hoped that Sansa would drop the awkward glance but just one or two minutes passed before he felt somebody tapping on his shoulder.

 

The man who had entered with Brienne was standing behind him and wore a polite smile.

 

"Lady Sansa wanted to inform you that I could show you the forge after the breakfast. Your companion told us that you were a Smith and would probably like to work there."

 

Gendry began to breathe again. He thought Lady Sansa might have changed her mind about him and he was revealed to hear about the forge. He looked down at his food and realized how he wasn't hungry at all.

He looked up at the young man and said " I would like to see the forge as soon as possible. Even now would be great. Couldn't get anything in my stomach."

"Sure follow my lead." Podrick led him the way to the forge and they chatted the next couple of minutes. Podrick was the first man Gendry talked to since he arrived at Winterfell and he decided that he liked him. After Podrick left him alone in the forge he looked around.

 

The anvils and shelves were covered in dust. It was obvious that nobody had used the forge in years. The tools were scattered across the room. 

 

He picked up a broken sword which was right next to his booth. The sunlight was reflecting on the forged steel and his mind wandered back to the day when he saw a sword which had the same steel. The broken sword and Needle were both forged by the old Smith of Winterfell. Gendry couldn't recall his name but he could recall the stories that Arya told him. 

 

She told him how she used to hide in the forge and watch the smith forge new swords or armour. How fascinated she was and how mad her mother used to be when she found her hours later covered in smooth.

 

She used to watch him smith in Harrenhall, too. Gendry always thought it was because it reminded her of Winterfell, of her home. Until he started to catch her staring at him and not at was he was doing. First, he was shocked but he also liked it even when he wouldn't admit it. 

 

His grip tightened around the hilt of the sword and his knuckles turned white. His hand began to shake slightly and he closed his eyes.

 

He had to change his thoughts. The thoughts about her were driving him crazy. But it didn't matters where he was or about what he thought, he would eventually end up right by Arya Stark.

 

He opened his eyes again and smashed the sword right against the anvil. His breathing was heavy and uneven. His hand began to form a fist and before he knew it it was hitting the stone wall behind the anvil.

 

He was hitting the wall with such a force that the tools and products that were hanging on the wall began to fall down. He felt how his skin tore apart and he was leaving marks of blood where he was hitting the wall.

 

His fist suddenly stopped and slid down the wall. His sharp intakes of breaths turned into uncontrolled sobs and tears mixed with sweat were running down his face. His body was shaking and everything around him seemed to remind him of Arya. 

 

The Arya he left alone and who died somewhere because she had no one to protect her. He knew that Arya would come back as a ghost and kill him when she knew that he thought he could have protected her. She always knew that no one could protect her. Never wanted someone who stood up for her. Always wanted to solve everything on her own.

 

Gendrys face lit up a little when the little stubborn girl came alive in his thoughts. She was tougher and had more courage than the men she was travelling with. Sometimes the pressure to show everybody that she can do it on her own made her trouble, but she did it anyway.

 

She never showed any weakness. After a while, you thought she hadn't any. She had also the ability to become friends with everybody.

 

Gendry disliked the idea because she had one or two rather strange and creepy companion. The one he hated the most was Jaqen. He didn't know why Arya would ever help somebody like him. Gendry was discussed by Jaqen. The way he smiled and acted and especially the way he killed everybody without a second thought or regret.

 

Even if the friendship between Arya and Jaqen was the only thing that saved his arse in Harrenhall, he never liked him.

 

Gendry tried to calm himself with the memories of her and it seemed to work. His body grew steady and his tears dried. After a while, he got up and started a fire in the forge so he could begin to work.

 

Arya Stark

 

Arya woke with an odd feeling in her stomach. She knew that the chances were high that she would run into Gendry today. She still hadn't process it that he was alive. She wanted to ask him so many questions but most of all she wanted to scream in his face.

 

But she decided to solve this reunion as peaceful as possible, so she swallowed her anger and changed into a new tunic and leather breeches. She prepared her mind that she would at least see Gendry at breakfast.

 

Her steps were heavy and unmotivated when she made her way to the great hall where Sansa, Bran, the northern Lords and some smallfolk were breaking their fast. She slept longer than normal because when she entered everybody was already eating their meal.

 

Her eyes scanned the room and she was surprised that she didn't find Gendry. She went and sat next to Sansa and decided that she would deal with him later and enjoy her breakfast. Sansa told her that she got raven that said that Jon would arrive in the next three days because they journey went smoother than they thought. They had gathered every army and were heading towards Winterfell in full force.

 

The first time Arya had heard about the mother of dragons was when she sold oysters at the port of Braavos. She heard that she freed the slave city Meeran and that she forbid slavery. She remembered seeing whores wearing white wigs and pretend that they would be Daenerys Targaryen.

 

She was excited to meet her even when she wouldn't admit it. She heard that she could walk through fire without being burned and that her dragons were just like in the tales old nan used to tell her.

 

But most of all she wanted to see Jon again. She wanted him to muss up her hair again and she wanted him to show needle. Jon was always her favourite brother and the sibling she missed the most. He didn't fit in as a child just like her. But it wasn't because of his behaviour just because of his birth.

 

She was happy that he finally got his earned respect as King of the North. Arya was feeling that somebody watched her and lifted her eyes from her plate to see who it was. Bran's eyes were focusing on her, what surprised her because most of the time he had his distant gaze. He looked like he wanted to say something but decided otherwise and looked on his plate.

 

When the men were finishing their breakfast and most were already gone, including Sansa, Bran turned to her and only said."He's in the forge."

 

Arya knew that he meant Gendry and a part of her filled with rage towards Bran. He knew everything she has been through, he even knew about Gendry. He hadn't the right to interfere in her past and he hadn't the right to drop hints. 

 

She stood up and left him alone before she would decide to do something stupid. He legs took her outside into the country yard, where she could see that part of the smallfolk were training for the war or wars to come. Children of the age between six to teen were holding a sword for the first time and some older children were teaching them how to swing it. She usually trained them herself but today she was sure she wouldn't manage anything useful. 

 

Her gaze wandered towards the forge. The heavy door was closed like usual and there was no smoke coming out of the chimney. Winterfell hadn't had a smith in a long time so Arya was sure the whole forge was dusty and messy.

 

She became doubtful if she would find Gendry in there because she knew how much he liked smithing and that he most likely would start right away. She took a few deep breaths and decided to check. Her feet were even moving slower than in the morning and a part of her became nervous.

 

She pushed against the door and was kind of relieved that she didn't see a fire burning. Her mind was set that he would be in his chambers or somewhere else because only an idiot would sit in forge without making a fire. Normally she would have turned around and left the forge but then she remembered how she used to annoy Mikken while he was smithing for her father. She took a few steps inside the forge before she stepped on a half broken sword which lay on the floor. She looked around and saw other tools and weapons lying on the ground.

 

Her legs took her further into the room but they stopped abruptly when she saw somebody sitting against the wall with one of his legs outstretched and the other pulled close to his chest. His head was leaned against the cold stone wall and his eyes were shut like he wanted to shut out everything that was going on in the real world. His tunic clunch to his body because it was soaked with sweat. His black hair was sticking to his forehead and his hands formed firsts. His hand were covered in blood and they were shaking slightly.

 

Arya's eyes went wide and her breathing stopped for a couple of seconds. She didn't know why Gendry was sitting alone in a cold room where he would catch a cold if he wouldn't make a fire. She didn't know why his shirt was soaked with sweat when he was clearly freezing. She didn't know why his hand were bloody and why he shut his eyes. She was confused and for a short moment, all the anger that she held against him was gone.

 

She stepped on an arrow that snapped immediately and she saw that Gendry was slowly opening his eyes. His gaze wandered directly to her face and a quiet gasp escaped him. She was standing there, very much alive and was staring at him with her grey eyes. His eyes filled with tears and his body shot up so that he was standing in front of her.

 

Arya could see that his eyes were filled with tears and his expression was surprised and shooked. When he stood up the shirt just clunch more to his body and she could see the muscles underneath it. Her soft grey eyes met his deep ocean blue eyes. They were just the same colour as she remembered. The eyes that gave her so much comfort when she escaped Kings Landing and than Harrenhal. 

 

And the eyes that left her alone, she remembered herself. Her mind told her to stop acting so stupid. She shouldn't be happy to see him again. She should want to drive a dagger through his chest and scream at him. But all the rage that she had last night was gone and all she could feel was happy that her friend wasn't dead after all.

 

He was standing in front of her unsure how to react, unsure how she would react. He didn't expect that if she was alive she would meet him with such softness in her eyes. He didn't expect her to be alive after yesterday at all. Her mind was screaming at him to hug her and best never let her go. But his body didn't move and he was only looking into the eyes he missed so much over the past years.

 

Arya thought that the reunion would be formel and without any emotion, at least from her side. Those years in Braavos she learned to hide her emotion from other but at this moment she couldn't act like she hated, like she didn't want to see him here. At this moment she had to show her true emotion.

 

In the next moment, her arms were flung around his middle and her face was pressed to his chest. Gendry's body froze by her movement and he needed a couple of seconds before he could react and wrap his arms around her.

 

Arya could hear his heartbeat and feel how his body tense before it relaxed again. His strong arms were wrapped around her and she felt protected like nothing could happen to her now that he was here. And she hated to admit it but she didn't feel this good since she fled Kings Landing. Even the reunion with her sister and brother didn't feel this familiar and warm.

 

His grip tightened on her and he lowered his head next to her so she could felt his breath on her neck. Her voice was soft unstable went she said his name. Gendry thought that nobody had ever said his name in such a sweet voice. He tightened his grip on her even more and he felt how her hand gripped stronger to the back of his tunic.

 

After a couple of minutes, Arya pulled back to look at Gendry. Her eyes were filled with tears just like Gendry's, her cheeks were light rosy from the cold and she wore a sweet and warm smile. In those years that they were apart, Arya had grown into a woman. The most beautiful woman Gendry had ever laid eyes on. She didn't grow much but she had soft curves and an older face. Her hair was a little bit darker than he remembered and had grown to her shoulders. Her eyes were the same grey like Jon's and she still prefers to were breeches and a tunic. 

 

Their eyes locked and her voice was still as soft but more steady than before.

 

"What happened to your hands?" She looked down and took his left-hand into hers. Gendry slightly winced when she touched the wound to observe it better.

 

"A little accident nothing more." She looked up again and he knew that she knew that it wasn't an accident.

 

"It should be cleaned and bandaged. The master's chambers are right..."

 

"I don't need to go to a master. It's just a little scratch nothing more."

 

"You can't just leave it like this, stupid." Gendry chuckled softly. They had so much to ask but they decided to argue about some stupid and unimportant thing like this.

 

"I can clean it myself, Milady."

 

Her voice was a harsher tone now and not so sweet anymore." But you can't bandage it yourself, stubborn bull. And don't call me that!" At that Gendry had to laugh and Arya jerked her hand away just to turn around and hide a smile.

 

"Will be back in a minute. Try not to do something stupid." With that, she stormed off the forge and went to her chambers where she found some bandages and on her way back she fetched some water in a bucket.

 

When she came back he had already made a fire and was now picking up some old tools from the floor. She put the bucket onto the anvil and sat next to it. Gendry stopped and came to stand next to her.

 

She took his hand in her right hand and with her left, she reached into the bucket to moisten a clean cloth. She slowly brought the cloth to the open skin and began to pat the open skin on his hand.

 

Gendry winced slithy. His voice was husky and low."More gentle, milady."

 

She didn't seem to mind that he called her that because she really tried to be more careful. After both hands were clean, she began to wrap the bandages around the open wounds. They didn't speak the whole time. Arya was too focused on not causing pain and Gendry was surprised how gentle she could be.

 

After she was finished she didn't let go of his hand but looked up and straight into his eyes. There was an awkward silence when they looked each other in the eyes before she cleared her throat and looked on the ground. She slipped off the anvil and he had to turn to face her again.

 

"You should probably start smithing if you want to finish something today. And i ... I have to train some of the smallfolk how to use a sword properly."

 

He smiled and nodded weakly and then she turned around and opened the door of the forge. Before she completely disappeared she turned around and gave him a small but warm smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Make sure to write in the comments what i could do better or what i should change. :)


	11. Habits of our Ancestors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The kudos and comments mean a lot to me and i wanted to thank all the people who left kudos and especially who took the time to write a comment :))

Gendry

He spent the whole day in the forge and concentrated to organize his new workplace. Arya didn't visite him that day, what disappointed him somehow but he wasn't surprised by it. He worked into the night without leaving once the smithy.

 

All these hours of hitting the hot steel and forming it in something new didn't help his mind to distract his thoughts from Arya. The gentle way she treated his wounds and the way his ocean blue eyes locked with her silvery grey ones. The tension but also a familiarity that was between them. He always knew that he had missed her horribly for these past years but now that he met her again he just realize how much he needed her.

 

They didn't even get to have a proper conversation but Gendry didn't care much. He would have enough time in the next few days or weeks to speak to her. He never felt more relieved now that he knew she wouldn't hate him. She even missed him. He had never dared to dream of that.

 

He thought she wouldn't even remember his face but she did. She even didn't kill him witch surprised him also. She had changed over the years, got more grown up, was a woman now. But somehow she was still the little wild and fierce girl who he travelled with on the Kingsroad.

 

With this thought in his head, he smiled for hours and hours and bend the steel and dragonglass into the shapes of blades till his muscles protested and he was forced to get some rest.

 

*

 

He slept barely three hours and was working from an early time. After he had finished two blades, his stomach began to grow hungry but he thought he would ignore it because he wouldn't know where to get food. After a couple of minutes, a young woman entered the forge. She had long and wavy hair. She wore and simple but a pretty dress and had a tall figure. 

 

He had been working for an hour and had dropped his shirt after the first blade. His whole body was sweating and he was covered in sooth. The woman blushed at the sight and murmed her apology for busting in without knocking and was ready to go when Gendry said "It is alright. If you had knocked, I wouldn't have heard it over the sound of the hammer so it doesn't really matter."

 

His voice was calm and nice and the lips of the girl quirked up into a small smile."Lady Stark has sent me to fetch you for the breakfast if you wish Ser."

 

"Not Ser, just Gendry. I would like to break my fast but before that, I would like to clean myself up I will be ready in a minute." With that, he disappeared into the back room and washed his upper body and got a new tunic. After that, he joined the serving woman, whose name was Polly, who led him into the already filled hall.

 

Just seconds after he stepped into the hall, his eyes wandered to Arya who was sitting at the head table next to her sister and brother. She wore her regular tunic and breeches and her hair was a little bit messy because she didn't have time to properly comb it. Gendry smiled at the sight of her just to lock their eyes together once again and receiving a small but true smile from her.

 

Throughout the whole breakfast, they catch each other starring. When they finally finished their breakfast both of them leave the hall and step into the country yard.

 

"Good morning m'lady." He greets her with a warm smile spread across his face.

 

He only receives an annoyed frown which makes him laugh. Arya playfully punches him in the ribs."Stop laughing, stupid."

 

After that, they talk about some unnecessary and boring stuff before Arya ask him how his wounds were doing. She looks at his hand and the bandages she put on last day were covered in soot and dirt.

 

"You have to change them after you smith or your wound will be infected." Without another word or the change for him to speak, she pulls at his sleeve and leads him towards a chamber in the castle.

 

"I have to train the smallfolk but one of my handmaidens Polly will help you and clean the wound. She is right in there. Just tell her I sent you." Her hand had slipped down from his sleeve to hind and her fingers were gently caressing over the bandages. She didn't seem to notice what she is doing until Gendry stars at her hand and she awkwardly jerks it away.

 

She mutters a quick goodbye and turns around to go to the yard. He smiles to himself before turning his heels and slowly knocking on the door. Behind the door, the same woman who fetched him for breakfast is cleaning some clothes.

 

She looks up and smiles at him a little confused. After Gendry explained that Lady Arya has sent him to get his bandages changes, she sweetly nodded and pointed at a chair was he should take a seat. Then she left the room to get some water and new bandages and shortly returned.

 

She sat next to him on the floor and took his hands in hers. She slowly removed the sooth soaked bandage and started to clean his wound. Gendry couldn't deny that Polly was an attractive woman. But when she touched his hand he didn't feel anything. No shiver that was running down his back, no nervousness, nothing. Not like when Arya had held his hand.

 

When Polly was finished she politely said Goodbye to Gendry while wearing a sweet and warm smile. After that Gendry went back to smithing till he heard a guard blow his horn and some shouting in the yard. He put his hammer down and went outside to see what was happening. A large crowd began to form and at the front, the three Stark siblings were formed up in a line. A wave of anxiety hit him. Jon and Daenerys were arriving with the rest of the army. He never told Jon he knew Arya. He didn't know how he would react. 

 

But he didn't have much time to think about those things because he got distracted by a huge green dragon flying directly over Winterfell. He heard some scream and a lot of people stepped back a few steps but after the dragon disappeared in the skies again, the whole crowd fixed their eyes on the gate that was being opened.

 

Arya

 

All these years she had waited to see Jon again. Most of the time she thought she would only meet him in the dreams of her thoughts but now the gates of Winterfell were slowly opening to welcome the King in the North and the Dragon Queen. She stood next to Sansa and Bran who didn't seem as excited as her. They stood perfectly still and their face looked hard and Bran's also emotionless. But it did seem like this was the only expression he was capable of these days.

 

Arya was way too happy to finally see Jon again and didn't pay attention to the dragon which flew over Winterfell. The gates were finally open and two figures were riding on horseback.

 

She instantly recognized the Dragon Queen. She had beautiful long white hair and she could see her purple eyes against her mild bronze skin. All the stories she read as a girl, about Targaryen princesses who rode dragons and fought in battles, came true. Her face was soft but also hard. She looked like a real conqueror but also like a loving woman. She looked like she could kill a hundred men without hesitating but also like she would do everything in her power to save only one life.

 

Her eyes slowly wandered to the person who rode the second horse into the yard of Winterfell. He looked the same but he looked so different. Like he had seen several horrors in this world and Arya knew he had. His face was grim and his eyes were hard.

 

He looked like a real king, just as much as a king as Robb, Arya assumed. Jon's head slowly turned into her direction and the moment their eyes met, his glance changed into the warm and loving look he always gave Arya when they were children.

 

For a brief moment, both of them froze. They blurred out all the people around. The dragons. The whole world. The only thing that came to their mind, was their childhood. How they used to read each other's mind. 

 

Jon made the first move by jumping off his horse as fast as he could and running to her. Arya did the same and they collided into a hug halfway. She could hear his heavy breathing. He could hear her sharp intakes of breaths that sounded a lot like quiet sobs.

 

His arms were clung around his neck and her feet were dangling above the ground. He couldn't believe that he was holding her. In all those years he heard rumours and tales how she was killed. Starved to death in a forest all alone. Killed by Cersei Lannister just after she killed their father. Raped and sold into slavery by some slavemasters who found her on the road.

 

He had had a lot of nightmares over the last years but the ones about Arya were the worst. But he was holding her now. Her body slightly trembling and her grip tightening on him.

 

She couldn't believe it either. The stories about the Lord Commander Snow being murdered by his own brother was over whole Westeros and even the free cities. How they stopped him in the heart serval times and left him in the yard to die alone in the cold. And the worst of all, it wasn't even a rumour. It was true but he lived now and holding her like he couldn't let her go ever again.

 

Quier tears were running down their faces and their minds drifted off to their happy memories. After a time Jon heard the crowd growing louder in the yard and he remembered that he should probably introduce Daenerys to the rest of the Starks.

 

He slowly loosened his grip on her and let her feet touch the ground again. She pu.led back but didn't let go of his hands. It was the first time he truly saw her face since he left for the wall. A warm smile was on her lips and her eyes were watering from the tears she shed. 

 

The only words he could say in his deep and husky voice were "I missed you."

 

Her smile grew bigger and he heard a quiet and shaky "ME, too."

 

"You must be Lady Arya." Daenerys was smiling politely and was standing next to Jon.

 

"This is Daenerys of House Targaryen" His voice sounded nervous and Arya couldn't help but notice the quick glance he had given the Dragon Queen.

 

Arya smiled and said, "I welcome your grace at Winterfell."She saw that Jon liked her a great deal and decided to try to like her too. It looked different when Daenerys was introduced to Sansa who replied politely but coldly.

 

The rest of the day everybody spent with organizing the new troops and going over the battle and war plans or preparing for the war in general. The only thing that motived everyone was the feast that was going to follow at the end of the day in the honour of the Dragon Queen.

 

At the feast, Arya was seated right under the table where Jon, Daenerys, Tyrion and Davos sat. Sansa sat to her left and Podrick to her right, Bran and Brienne were opposite of her. She wore her normal tunic and breeches and was surprised that Sansa didn't even offer her to wear a dress.

 

Sansa was still grim and unimpressed that Jon had to bend the knee to the Queen, so Arya decided to chat with Podrick who was just as happy and nice as usual. After a while, she noticed that Gendry was eaten at the end of the hall, where the some lower Northern Lord sat. He held a cup of ale in his hand and looked rather angry. She smiled and him for a second before turning her attention back to Podrick who told her the story when he was caught stealing cheese from the royal family.

 

The feast got a little bit annoying when the dancing started and some Northern Lords didn't realize that she didn't want to dance. She refused every one of them and her mood grew happier when she got caught up in another conversation with Podrick.

 

She threw some glances at Gendry during the feast but only caught him drinking of getting his cup refilled. The feast began to grow quieter and most men and women began to head to their chambers or tents when Podrick asked her for a dance. Normally she would have said no but the whole evening he was the only one who entertained her. Jon was to busy talking about the war, Sansa was to busy being mad and Gendry was to busy drinking himself to an early grave if it was his habit.

 

She took Podricks hand and let herself be led to the dancefloor. Even if she didn't learn the different dancing technics as a kid she wasn't too bad because it was very similar to water dancing. 

 

But Podrick didn't stop telling her funny stories while they danced and she couldn't help but laugh the whole time. After two dances they decided that it was time to leave the feast and headed outside the hall. In the yard, Podrick asked if he should escort her to her chambers just to get a halfhearted laugh from Arya before they wished each other goodnight and Arya was left alone in the cold winter air which filled the yard.

 

Or at least she thought so before she heard a mocking and rude voice behind her."Should I escort you to your chambers, Lady Arya."

 

Arya turned around and saw Gendry still holding a cup of ale and an angry face. "You should go to bed now. You drunk quiet heavily. Didn't think you were the kind but..."

 

She was cut off."Oh now, the Lady of Winterfell wants to tell me when to go to bed and how much to drink."

 

"I didn't... Gendry you should now, you are drunk, I haven't seen you once at the feast without an ale in your hand." She gestured to the now empty cup in his hand.

 

"So my Lady gave me the honour of what... maybe five glances at me during the feast. The rest you were busy being shown by that lad."

 

"Your talking shit, stupid. Go to sleep we can talk tomorrow when you can think clearly."

 

"Oh so i\iam wrong. That's why he was the only one you danced with while you refused any other men who asked you. And that's why you couldn't even stop giggle while you danced." His voice was loud and filled with anger. His hands were formed to fists and his jaw was clenched.

 

She opened her mouth to protest but Gendry cut her off while taking steps towards her and forced her to walk backwards till she ran into a wall. He didn't stop and was standing a couple of inches away. 

 

Her back was pressed against a could wall and her breathing began to unsteady. Gendry moved his face closer to her so she could smell the ale. He began to move his lips closer to hers, they were moments away from kissing each other when Arya slightly turned her head to the side so he couldn't kiss her.

 

Gendry let out an angry sigh and stood up straight again and took a step back."You're only a tease, aren't you? Try to make me want you and making me jealous and then refusing me." His voice was full of hate which shocked Arya more than the words he was saying. He stared at her before he shrugged "Will find some woman who would be glade kissing me even more. Find somebody who is more beautiful, well that isn't that difficult is it?"

 

She turned on her heels and left as fast as her legs carried her she knew that he said that to hurt her. To make her feel bad. He could mean them, could he? 

 

But at the moment her only feeling was anger towards him. She wanted to hurt him. Do something that would upset him. Just punch him in the f... .

 

She hadn't paid attention and run into something or better somebody. Podrick was smiling at her like always.

 

"Can I help you, La... ."

 

Before he could finish that sentence her fury took her over. She laid booth of her hand of his cheeks and forcefully pulled him down to press her lips against his. After a second Podricks hand wandered to her back and his mouth was moving against hers. While they kissed Arya seemed to forget her whole anger towards Gendry and when they finally broke apart she didn't even remember the fight with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy, that escalated quickly.


	12. Making Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't know how to thank you for the great feedback. I really appreciate all the kudos and especially the lovely comments.

Gendry Waters

 

His head was aching when he woke up on the floor just a couple of feet away from his actual bed. He cursed himself for drinking last night. He never wanted to become his father but he was doing the same thing Robert had done so many years ago.

 

Fall in love with a Stark girl that won't love him back. Memories came back and he remembered how unfair and cruel he acted towards Arya last night. He wouldn't have thought himself capable of being so harsh to her. His jealousy took over him last night and he was deeply ashamed for it. He had obviously lied the night before. He knew that nothing ever could replace Arya in his life and he knew that she was by far the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and will ever see.

 

He was so lucky that's he didn't want to kill him in the first place when he entered Winterfell. That she actually welcomed him but after yesterday he was pretty sure she was going to hate him. He grabbed a new tunic and decided to go and try to apologize to Arya, in the hope of living after that. 

 

He didn't have much hope she would forgive him or let him speak to her but he had to try. He sat on the edge of his bed with his head buried in his hand. He hoped Arya knew that he couldn't possibly mean the words he said. He could remember the hurt and the anger in her face, the way she turned her head because she didn't want to kiss somebody completely drunk and not themselves. Or maybe she just didn't want to kiss him, maybe she had never felt the things he felt for her.

 

Eventually, Gendry stood up with the intention of wandering through Winterfell until he found her. He knew if he would sit any longer in his chambers thinking about her, his head would eventually explode.

 

He looked through the half of the castle when he decided to check in the kitchen but the only familiar face he saw was Hot Pie who didn't realize he had entered. He tipped him lightly on the shoulders to ask him if he knew where Arya was but he wasn't greeted with a smiling face like usual but rather grim and angry expression.

 

Hot Pie turned his body fully around so he was facing Gendry ."I hope you are fucking proud of yourself!" Hot Pie pushed Gendry against his chest so he had to take a step back."What the fuck have you done yesterday!" The second push followed and Gendry slammed slightly against a wooden table.

 

He was surprised. He never had seen Hot Pie this angry. His whole face was red and exceptionally not because he had to run a little bit or walk for more than 2 hours. He also never dared to threaten Gendry and especially not push him around.And he was surprised that Hot Pie knew what happened. He thought Arya wouldn't tell anyone. She always kept her problems to herself, until the weight got too much and she would break down just to stand up and continuing her habit.

 

"So she told you. Didn't expect she would tell anyone." His voice was small and filled with guilt and his gaze was on the floor."She didn't tell me anything. She is just as stubborn as you! But everybody could see that she was furious and even hurt after your talk in the yard! And I wasn't surprised that you did something stupid while being that drunk!" Hot Pie was still yelling at him and his face became even redder than before.

 

"You better make up for this Gendry. I mean it. You can't be so stupid and lose her another time." Hot Pie was right, he didn't know if he would survive losing her again. He only nodded but decided better not to ask him and find her on his own. He was already on his way out when Hot Pie added."You should check the Good Woods are right behind the Main Hall but don't tell her I gave you a hint where she could be."

 

He followed the instructions of Hot Pie and found a path leading into a forest behind the Main Hall of Winterfell. The path didn't look like it was used by too many people but he saw the tracks of a wheelchair int he snow. He hoped Arya would be alone, the worst person she could be within this moment was Jon. Jon would kill him if he saw that he hurt his little sister in any way. 

 

He was walking for a couple of minutes when he saw where the path ended.It ended by a beautiful tree with white bark and red leaves and a face carved into the middle part. Under the tree sat a petite figure starring at the dark pool right next to the tree. 

 

Gendry knew that this must be a Weirwood tree. Arya used to tell him about the old gods and the woods next to Winterfell. He also recognized the person sitting under the tree. Her dark hair was falling don her shoulders and her one hand rested on the hilt of Needle as usual. 

 

His feet took him further towards the tree and when Arya could finally hear the sound crunch underneath his boots her head shot into his direction. It was painful seeing the feelings in Arya's eyes when she was him standing there. He wasn't shocked seeing anger and hate but the vulnerability and hurt made his heart squeeze. She rapidly got to her feet and set her mind to walking straight by him without another glance or word. 

 

He only stood there dumbfounded before grabbing her by the upper arm and jerking her around. In the same movement, her left hand pulled out her Valeriensteel dagger and put it to his throat. She expected him to step back or let go of her arm but he chose to ignore the dagger like a stupid fool.

 

"Arya please give a chance to apologize."His voice was full of guilt and small.

 

"Let go of me, idiot. Or I will open your throat."She pressed the dagger a little stronger to his throat but she was careful not to draw any blood, at least for now she thought.

 

"If you won't run away and hear me out."Even now the stupid bull had to act stubborn." I said you should let me go. Now!" The dagger had cut into Gendry's flesh, just enough to draw a couple of drops of blood. Arya quickly lost some pressure between his throat and the dagger.

 

But he only sighed and made no move of obeying her." You have to know that it didn't mean anything I said last night. I was a complete dick and I shouldn't have drunk anything. I was jealous and let the ale take the better of me. I didn't mean anything about you being only a tease and making me jealous. I certainly didn't mean to find some other woman, Arya. I don't want to and I know I couldn't find somebody who is more beautiful than you. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

 

Arya's eyes filled with tears. She cut him off with a poisonous "Shut up!" How dare he mock her. How dare he act like he was going to apologize to her just to humiliate more. She knew that she wasn't pretty. She knew it since she was a child, thanks to her mother who always referred Sansa as the beautiful one. And her mother was right she knew it. She had short her, wore tunics and breeches and had only small curves.

 

How dare he telling her he couldn't find someone more beautiful than her. He could find a more beautiful girl when he just walked into the yard. Arya saw that her handmaidens were impressed by the new young smith. Who wouldn't be? Especially Polly after she helped him change the bandages. 

 

Polly. Polly had long blonde hair nice curves. She looked like a woman straight out of a man's dream. Maybe even his dream."How dare you being so cruel and mocking. Just shut up and have every woman you want, I wouldn't care. I am sure Polly could take some time off. And dare to mock me again and I will burn you alive!"

 

Before Gendry could say anything, she kicked him between his legs and he stumbled to his knees and was forced to let go of her arm. Arya took the opportunity and walked quickly toward the castle, tears running down her light rosy cheeks.

 

Gendry felt even more terrible than before trying to apologize. She didn't think he meant it. It hurt him that she would think him this cruel and it hurt him that she didn't see how beautiful she was.

 

Arya Stark

 

She didn't really think he meant the words when he was drunk. She thought that he only said them because he was heavily drunk. But after their fight in the Godwoods, she couldn't bear the sight of him. He tried to talk with her again but Arya was careful to find a way to avoid him. He also always starred at her at the meals in the Great Hall. Every time Arya considered throwing her dagger right into his chest so he would stop starring.

 

But he wasn't the only one who starred at her after that night. Every time she was just in the same room as Podrick he blushed like a maiden. This annoyed her even more but she never thought of killing him. She knew she had to talk to Podrick about the kiss. 

 

She was furious that night and acted on impulse. She only thought about him as a friend and nothing more. After a couple of days, she took a break from preparing for the battle to talk to him.

 

She found him in the yard talking with Tyrion about old times. She led him to a rather unused part of the castle so they could talk without being interrupted or heard. She was quite nervous because he still meant a lot to her and she didn't want to hurt him. Maybe he wasn't feeling about her that way and would only laugh if she would talk with him about the kiss. But those thoughts of Arya were quickly destroyed when she saw the look in his eyes.

 

No friend would give such a warm and loving look. Arya felt ashamed that she couldn't love him as he did her. But she knew that the only fair thing is to tell him.

 

When she said that they had to talk about their kiss Podrick blushed looked at the floor.

 

"Podrick, I ...I think I have to tell you that...that I kissed you because I was angry at someone and hurt. I acted out of impulse and I know that I should have... I am really sorry."

 

Podrick didn't reply but he was looking into her eyes now. She could see hurt and disappointment in his eyes but not even one drop of anger. She couldn't understand how he never was angry. Even now he acted like he could understand and respect her decision.

 

He only nodded lightly then he looked like he was going to say something but he quickly closed his mouth and left without another word.

 

She stood in the half-dark corridor and hated herself for being this way. She was sure that Sansa would have handled the situation much better than her. Her thoughts were quickly distracted by the battle that came nearer and nearer. It was only a couple of days left and everybody seemed to do their best to prepare for it.

 

The next days were filled with council meetings, training the smallfolk and meal were she got starred at. Just one or two days passed, she was training some women who have never held a sword before when she heard that the horn of the guards was blown.

 

She froze for a moment but remembered that the guard had to blow three timed of they saw any sight of the army of the dead. The gate was open and Jon was already standing next to Arya in the yard. Only a single rider approaches, wrapped in a coat with more holes than fabric.

 

Jon greeted the man while he dismounted the horse and Arya could see that they knew each other. The man pulled his hood back and a wave of anger drove through Arya. Beric Dondarion was on her list every since she was a little girl. She was ready to pull her dagger and drive it through his skull when she remembered two things. 

 

The dead were coming and they needed every man and woman who could hold a sword and she remembered that she wanted to kill him because he sold Gendry. Now Arya wouldn't hesitate to sell him just that he would be anywhere but in Winterfell. She would kill for that idiot.

 

Beric and Arya made eye contact. He looked like he was expecting an attack but Arya turned her heels and went back to training the woman.

 

The days were passing to fast. In the morning she would always talk to Jon and take a walk with him and ghost and starting snowball fights acting like two children. After lunch, she always went to the Godwoods to sit next to Bran. Normally they sat in silence but the day before the battle Bran started a conversation about their childhood. She knew that Bran was still in there somewhere but she also knew that he could only be himself when the Night King would be defeated. Before she went to bed she always went to Sansa's room. They talked about their family about mother, father, Robb and Rickon. About Jon and about Bran. Arya almost started crying when she told Sansa that Bran had acted like they nine-year-old brother that they left behind in Winterfell all those years ago.

 

She also talked a couple of times with Daenerys. She could understand why Jon had fallen in love with her. They were trying to hide it but she was sure that everybody else knew as well. Daenerys showed Arya the dragons after Jon had told her that Arya used to love the stories about the Targaryen Princesses and queens who rode their dragons into battles. When she found a minute to spare she went to the kitchen to help Hot Pie with the food and talk about the old times they travelled together.

 

It was the evening before the final battle. They would arrive tomorrow in the afternoon. But before that, a final feast would be celebrated. Maybe the last feast that would ever be in Winterfell. 

 

The feast was rather nice.The northern Lords and their sons have learned that they shouldn't ask her for a dance because she would find an excuse and the people seemed to enjoy the last night before the battle. She talked the whole time with Ser Davos and Sansa, later Jon joined in. It was rather late and she was ready to leave for her chamber in the hope to catch some sleep but she was stopped by Jon.

 

He held out his hand towards her and his glance wandered towards the floor where the dancing was. She let out an annoyed sigh but took his hand. He led her to the floor and they began to dance. She couldn't help but smile at the memories of the feasts when she was a child. Father and Jon were the only ones she would dance with. Occasionally even with Robb or Bran. 

 

Jon had begun to joke about her being a proper lady, just like he did when they were younger. Arya couldn't help but smile throughout the whole dance. After the song was over Arya wished Jon good night and quickly left the Great Hall before any of the Lord would think they could dance with her.

 

She slowly made her way through the yard still smiling when she saw smoke coming out of the chimney of the forge. She didn't see Gendry at the feast.It could be his last night and he was spending it working alone in the forge.

 

A dumb and girlish thought entered Arya's mind, what if he did mean what he said in the Godwoods. She hated herself for thinking like a young Lady who dreamed of knights in shining armour. She tried to ignore the thought but it wouldn't leave her head, so she decided to ignore her pride and made her way towards the forge.

 

She hesitantly opened the door and a wave of heat crashed against her. She quietly closed the door behind her and was moving towards the anvil was Gendry stood with the back to her.

 

He didn't wear a shirt, why would he Arya's blood was probably boiling but she wasn't so sure if it was only because of the heat. She could see his muscles play under his skin while lifted the hammer. He didn't notice that somebody entered the forge and Arya only stood quietly watching him without making any noise.

 

After a couple of minutes, she realized how creepy it was to stand there and watch him without him even knowing that he had company so that she cleared her throat. Gendry's head turned around and when he noticed that it was her he laid his hammer to the side and faced her fully. The sight of him from the front seemed to distract her even more. His whole chest was full of muscles and covered in sooth and sweat. He thoughts were interrupted by Gendry."Arya ?"It was a question Arya quickly moved her gaze away from his chest to his face and blushed lightly.

 

He softly chuckled when he saw her blush and took a slow step towards as if he was afraid she would change her mind and run out of the forge.

 

"Why weren't you at the feast?" She tried to make her voice sound steady and annoyed but she succeeded only halfway. Gendry only shrugged."Didn't want to go. Didn't know why I should go. And didn't want to hear another story from some drunken man about his heroic actions that never happened." He didn't say that he didn't go because he didn't want to drink and that he thought she would be happier if he didn't appear.

 

After a short minute of silence, Arya took the word."Gendry about what happened in the Godwoods, I..."She was cut off by Gendry who's voice sounded deeper than normal."I meant it, Arya, what I said in the Godwoods. Please, Arya, you have to believe me." His face was honest and his voice was steady. Arya didn't think he lied.But if he didn't lie, if he had really meant it then... then he... ."Arya, you are truly beautiful and all these years I tried to find you again and now I found you and I won't let you go into battle with you not knowing that... that..." He seemed to hesitate and he slowly took another step until he stood right in front of her.

 

His hand reached for her hand and a shiver went through Arya when his hand covered hers. Her grey eyes which looked like liquid silver locked with his blue eyes which colour resembled a stormy ocean. He waited a moment as if waiting for her to pull away but she didn't."I wouldn't forgive myself if I wouldn't tell you this before we die. Well I mean it is possible we die, I mean with the battle and the wights and the..." Arya laughed slightly how easy he was brought of track."Well anyway...ehm...i had to tell who that ...that the day I met you everything changed in my life. Before you, I had never had such a close friend.Never had any family. Arya, I know that if we shall live the day after tomorrow that I will never leave your side unless you want me to but that would break my heart...ehm well yeah and... and I had to tell you that every since I met you there was only one thing I knew." Arya was biting her lower lip and tears were forming her eyes. Her heart was full of warmth and joy and she suddenly wanted him to hold her to make her forget that there was a big chance that they would die tomorrow. Gendry parted his lips and his voice was so small that she almost didn't hear it. "I love you. I always did."

 

Her heartbeat seemed to have stopped for a second, maybe she heard it wrong, maybe he said something entirely else. But the look in his eyes told her that she heard it right. He loved her. She couldn't believe that he admitted it loudly. His eyes where darker now and he squeezed her hand a little more tightly. 

 

For a brief second Arya thought about running out of the forge. That what she would do if somebody told her that he loved her. But that somebody was Gendry and suddenly to her own surprise she didn't want to run away. She opened her mouth to say that she loved him too because she truly did but she didn't bring out any words. 

 

She decided to hold his gaze and squeeze his hand back. Her eyes flickered down to his lips shortly after and she a blush crept to her already light red cheeks. She noticed that he did the same thing. She went slowly to her tiptoes and was leaning closer towards her. "May I kiss you m'lady?" Arya blushed even more but managed to nod slightly. Gendry let her hand drop and slowly put his arms around her waist while Arya leaned her hands against his bare chest.

 

Their face where only inches apart and their breathing unsteady and shaky. Arya's hand went to Gendry's cheek to reassure him to kiss her. Gendry's lips covered Aryas gently and began to move. Arya's lips moved against his and they pick up a rhythm easily.

 

A wave of sensation shot through Arya. She wondered why she never kissed him before. She didn't want to break away because everything felt just right. Her hand was mussing through his short black hair and he was pulling closer towards him. After a while when their bodies were pressed together, Gendry pulled away to catch his breath. Arya let out an annoyed sign even though she needed to catch her breath as well. Gendry only grinned her with his stupid grin.

 

She missed that grin and couldn't help but smile back at him. The rest of the night she spent in the forge with Gendry. After a couple of hours around three o clock, she had fallen asleep watching him shape a sword out of dragon glass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on releasing two or maybe even three chapters. I will try to end the story before the final season of GoT begins. I hope you enjoyed reading.


	13. Burning Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So a couple of characters are going to die. Okay, just wanted to warn you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to upload. I am about to wrap this story up but there will be one more chapter but I am not sure if it will be before season 8. Probably not because I am lazy and school isn't going that great right now. Well enjoy reading if you can :)

Arya Stark

 

She felt warm, warmer than usual. Her eyelids were still heavy and the sun that shone through the window didn't help Arya in her attempt to open her eyes. She heard a sound of heavy breathing somewhere next to her. Eventually, she blinked a few times and realized that she was in a rather unfamiliar location.

 

She lay in a smaller and harder bed than usual and the room only contained the bed and a little wooden table. She was quick to check where the heavy breathing came from and relieved that that person wasn't on the bed as well.

 

She poped herself on her elbows to get a clear view on the floor of the room. She saw Gendry lying on his coat snoring peacefully. Then she remembered what happened the day before. Her lips twitched upward at the memories. He must have carried her here after she fell asleep in the forge.

 

That stupid bullheaded boy had also refused to sleep next to her and rather slept on the cold stone floor. Stupid. But still, Arya couldn't help herself and smile even more at the thought that Gendry thought it was improper to sleep in the same bed as her.

 

She also had to smile when she remembered what he said to her and how his lips felt against her own.

 

"Why are you grinning like a lovesick fool?" His voice was low and sounded sleepy. She looked down and she instantly met his blue half-lidded eyes.

 

"None of your business."Her voice sounded annoyed and higher than usual. She grabbed the pillow next to her and threw it with all her strength towards him. Her action made Gendry only laugh. Arya turned around in the hope to look annoyed and to hide her cheeky smile.

 

Gendrys heart made a quick jump when the first thing he saw in the morning was a sleepy Arya with cosy hair and smile which reached her ears. He couldn't help but grin like a fool and make a quick comment. She pretended to be annoyed but Gendry still saw the smile on her face. 

 

The night before after he finished his work he found a sleeping Arya on the bench. She looked peaceful and less intimidating than usual. He carried her into his room because he didn't know where she slept. He didn't dare to lay next to her because he didn't know if she wanted him to. 

 

He was torn out of his thought by a booth crashing lightly into his side. "Get up so we can get something to eat." Gendry quickly got up to put on his booth and followed Arya out towards the kitchens.

 

It was too early to breakfast at the Hall so Arya decided to steal something from the kitchen. She used to do it as a child and still did it when she forgot some meals because she was busy training. But this time it would be more difficult to not be noticed because Gendry was making to much noise with his clumsy feet.

 

"I see you still didn't learn how not to wake everybody in Winterfell while you take some steps." Gendry steps got instantly quieter and she could hear him mutter something with milady under his breath. 

 

When they entered the kitchen all the kitchen staff was working on breakfast. Hot Pie already caught her twice stealing something and she didn't want the get caught again.

 

"Go to the shelf there and steal some bread while I am going to get some cheese." Gendry nodded and they split up. The cheese was laying on the top self and Arya had to climb on a chair to reach in barely.

 

"Again Arya? Can't you just wait another hour like every other person?" Her head shot around and she saw a rather tired Hot Pie standing there."Sorry."

 

"And why do you want to eat so much cheese. Half as much would be en..." Hot Pie stopped talking and looked behind Arya. Gendry slowly stepped next to Arya with a loaf of bread in his hand.

 

Hot Pies lips automatically tugged upward."Well, nevermind. I am just happy that you had the cleverness to make your peace before the battle." Hot Pie still didn't finish talking but Arya's mind was hit with a cruel thought. The battle. How could she forget? 

 

She knew that chances weren't high that they would win but it was sure that she would lose friends and family in this battle. When not all than most.

 

"Arya" His voice was soft and she felt his hand on her lower arm. Hot Pie was already gone and Gendry was looking up at her. "Everything alright?" She only smiled and jumped from the chair."Yes." She grabbed his hand and dragged him into the yard.

 

Just a couple of minutes had passed but apparently, everybody in Winterfell had woken and began the final preparations for the battle. The battle could begin every hour now. She stopped for a short before continuing towards the forge.

 

She broke her fast with Gendry and talked about her childhood before she helped him take on his armour and ready their weapons for the fight. After that, they sat down on the bench where she fell asleep the last night. Both were silent and didn't feel like talking. It was their first battle. They would face the dead soon and they would both loose so much. Arya didn't want to think that she could lose her family or her friends or...or him. She moved closer to him and laid her head against his shoulder. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer to him. She was the first one who had ever made him feel loved. He knew that the chances that they both would survive were low. He didn't know what she would do without her but he didn't want to think about that. Not in the last hours or even minutes they had left.

 

Suddenly Arya crawled into his lap and threw her arms around his neck while she pressed her face into his neck. He was surprised that Arya would react so vulnerable but didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her. She let out a silent sob which made Gendry just tighten his grip around her.

 

He could feel her hot tears running down his neck and eventually soaking into his tunic. Hot tears were also running down his face. This could be the end of it all. Not just them. Not just the Starks or the North. But the end of the living.

 

They sat in silence, only hearing the quiet sobs and sniff from the other. Both of them couldn't hold back the thoughts they tried to avoid the whole day. Both were absorbed in their thoughts which were all too similar. Then they heard a horn. Once. Twice. Trice.

 

Followed by the sound of people running around, screaming orders, screaming for people or screaming insults. Arya slowly lifted her head. They eyes met. Their cheeks were red and small trails of salt was sticking to them. Arya admired the blue eyes which looked like an ocean after a storm. Gendry admired the grey eyes which looked like liquid silver. Both of them were aware that this might be the last time they could look each other in the eyes.

 

Gendry started to loosen his grip on her and Arya got to her feet followed by him. They went towards their weapons. Gendry grabbed his warhammer which had Dragongalss spikes on it, in order to kill the wights and White Walkers. Arya had Cats Paw already tied to her belt and gripped her spear with one Dragonglass blade on each side. Arya looked over her shoulder but didn't turn around and continue to head towards the door of the forge.

 

As she opened the door she was hit by a wave of sound. People were running, people were panicking and people were facing their fate. She inhaled slowly and took a few steps into the yard. Her eyes immediately fixed on the carriage which was standing near the gate. 

 

She saw Sansa accompanied by Brienne climb into the carriage. She wanted to run and have the last chance to bid her goodbye but she only stopped after a step forward and twirled around. Gendry had followed her and stared at the crowd of people running around. He only looked at her when she took a slow step towards him. She didn't know what she could say to him so she only let her hand wander to the back of his neck and pull him down, so her lips were pressed against his. His hands were automatically around her waist pulling her closer and his lips moved against hers.

 

This was it. This was the end. They had to pull away. Both their eyes were filled with tears and they knew that they had to let go. To let go of each other. They slowly stepped apart not breaking their eye contact. They both knew that they had to go. Arya was the first who turned around and began to ran towards the gate to catch the carriage. He watched her before turning around and telling his last goodbye.

 

She was running towards the carriage. They had already closed the doors. She knew that it was her last chance to tell her sister and brother, who was also in the carriage, goodbye. She reached for the door and abruptly tore it open. She could see her sister made a little jump of surprise before a smile covered her face. She crawled in and fell into her arms. "I thought I wouldn't see you tell goodbye. You took your sweet time." Sansa's voice was warm but unsteady and Arya only tightened her grip before letting go. She turned around and embarrassed Bran, who only lightly patted her shoulder in response. She pulled away so she could see both of them.

 

Bran was looking out of the window with his usual blank stare. Arya hoped that after the war found its end, Bran would change back into his sweet little brother, who she left behind in Winterfell all those years ago. Sansa reached out for her hand and took it. They locked eyes and Arya couldn't help but think about their mother. She didn't only resemble Sansa with her looks but also with their habits and actions. Since Arya was back in Winterfell Sansa gave her comfort with her words and gentle touches just like her mother used to. "Take care, Arya." Sansa gave Arya's hand a light squeeze before letting go and allowing her to step out of the carriage and head to the battle.

 

Back in the yard, Arya turned around in the search for Jon. Only seconds later she heard the screech of a dragon and turned her head towards the sound. The first dragon was already in the sky and the second one was just about to follow. She could see a man dressed in black sitting on its back. She had missed her last chance to tell him goodbye. But she couldn't change it and she needed to let go of any distraction for the battle.

 

At that moment she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Sandor motion her to move along. She followed him and shortly found the group she was supposed to fight with. Podrick greeted her with a small smile while Beric only looked at the ground and Tormund was making some strange exercise to prepare for the battle. Sandor only sighed and told them to move their arses to the battlefield.

 

The walk wasn't long but it felt like an intercity. Nobody said anything but looked out so they wouldn't lose each other in the panicking crowd. Once they reached the second row, which contained the northern armies they stopped and raised their weapons.

 

They still couldn't see any wight or white walker but the air was unusually cold and a strange fog was covering the hills and fields around Winterfell. They knew that at any moment the battle would begin.

 

Then they heard a screech. A screech of a dragon. But it was different than what they heard before. It was cold and sounded a hundred times more intimidating. Just a short moment after they could see blue flames appear on the horizon. Everybody held on tight to their weapons when the ice dragon towards them just to disappear again. Seconds of silence passed before the army of the dead could be seen on the horizon running towards them. Arya heard a couple of commanders scream but couldn't make out their words. The armies of Westeros, the Dothraki and the Unsullied began to march towards the dead.

 

The first wight which attacked her was immediately killed with her spear and dozens of wights followed. She quickly lost track of how many wights she killed, she almost lost every track of reality except for her teammates. She always turned around to see if they needed help. She had seen a couple of wolves fight against wights as well. Her thoughts wandered quickly to Nymeria and she wolfs pack but were quickly replaced by thoughts about killing what was in front of her and had blue eyes. She also remembered the scary stories of Old Nan and the beast with the shining blue eyes. As a child Arya was afraid but in reality, it was much worse. She couldn't express who discussed and fearful these blue eyes made her.

 

She was focussed on fighting at least four wights in front of her when she felt a hand tug on her shoulder. The hand felt raw boned and the tug was powerful so Arya lost her balance and stumbled backwards. She turned her head and her eyes locked with the blue of a dead man. She pierced her spear through his chest but already felt other hands encircled her calf and her right arm. She killed more and more wight who tried to get hold of her but it felt like with every kill she would feel to more hands trying to drag her down.

 

She panting heavily and her whole body was sweating and shaking. It didn't matter were she turned she met those ice blue eyes. Suddenly she saw something else out of the corner of her eye. A trail of orange. In the meanwhile, she could feel the bony fingers digging into her flesh and slowly trying to rip her apart. The trail of orange became bigger and bigger and she saw the first couple of blue eyes being shut. The grips loosened on her and her she could now see the battlefield again. 

 

She noticed what had killed or distracted the wights. Beric was swinging his flaming swords at more than dozens wights while Sandor and Podrick were helping. She couldn't see Tormund but she could see that the others still needed help defending the wights. She quickly got to her feet and tighten her grip on her spear. Her hands were shaking and she could feel the pain in every ounce of her body. She runs towards Beric who hadn't noticed a wight with a sword standing behind him. She ran her spear through its neck. The wight dropped down to the ground and Arya could see Beric standing right in front of her. He was facing her and looking her right into the eyes. A pleading look filled with guilt. Just as Beric dropped his sword Arya noticed that blood was pouring out of his stomach. Shortly after Beric dropped to the ground as well, lying lifeless between the many corpses. Arya only got torn out of her mind when Sandor lit Beric on fire so he wouldn't join the army of the dead.

 

Her head shot up and she continued killing wights without hesitation. The wound of her body burned and she never felt this hot in her life. But that came shortly to an end when she felt a wave of cold go through the air. She looked around and saw the first White Walker. The wights parted so he could walk through the crowd while he was heading directly towards her. He raised his ice sword and swung it directly at her. She blocked it with her own weapon while she could feel the power he was pushing against her spear. Every breath she took hurt. It felt like the cold air would burn her lungs. Her hand were shaking and sweat was running down her body. Her movement was slower than in the beginning and it became harder and harder to block the strikes of the White Walker. That was till he managed to strike her hand so she was forced to drop her weapon. She could bearly move her fingers and her spear was just out of reach. She could see through a blurry view how he raised his ice sword ready for the final blow.

 

When he raised his sword the highest above his head, he was attacked from behind. He turned around and Arya could see Podrick with his shattered sword in his hand. She knew that he knew that normal steel would shatter against the skin of a White Walker. Podrick didn't look at Arya. He closed his eyes and waited for his final moment. While Arya reached out for her spear, she could hear the sound of his sword coming down and cutting through flesh. The White Walker stood with his back to her when Arya finally raised her spear and drove it through his back with all the strength she had left. His screamed follow. A scream which sounded like shattered glass and like the seven hells combined.

 

She had now a clear view of what had happened to Podrick. She could see a clean cut from this should to his chest. His eyes were still closed and he had a tight grip around his broken sword. Suddenly his eyes opened and she met the ice blue eyes again. She raised her spear but didn't know if she is able to kill him again. But just as quick as he opened his eyes they shut again. She heard the falling of men next to her and she felt the floor quiver under her feet. 

 

She looked around and the battlefield looked much more empty than before. She still saw men standing, living men, men with normal eyes and hot blood. She looked up at the sky and couldn't find the ice dragon. Her eyes focused on Sandor standing near her with a lowered sword in his hand. Their gaze met and he smiled sadly. It was over. The army of the dead was gone. The battle had taken its victims and decided to come to an end. She dropped to her knees and let her weapon glide out of her grip. She could feel every little cut on her body where the dead tried to rip her open. She could feel the pain in her heart when she saw the last look on Berics face or the eyes of Podrick open again.

 

After minutes on kneeling on the ground, she felt a presence standing next to her. She looked up and saw Sandor looking down waiting for her to stand up. She slowly got to her feet and looked around. The first dead were carried away by their family or friends. She searched for Podrick with her eyes but wasn't able to find him."He is already being brought back to Winterfell. For a proper funeral." She only nodded and started to walk next to him towards Winterfell. She knew how many victims the battle took and grew more and more anxious the nearer she got to Winterfell. In fear of what she might or might not find.

 

Till her feet carried her back most people already arrived in Winterfell. As she entered the yard she could see the carriage stand right in front of the entrance of the Great Hall. Her steps became quicker and she was soon standing in the Great Hall. She saw Jon standing next to Bran a hand resting on his shoulder. Her little brother had red eyes from crying and Jon looked the same. She hurried towards them. Only when she was a couple of feet away Jon noticed her presence. He let go of ran and pulled her into a thigh embrace. She could feel how he smiled but also how his tears were running down his cheek.

 

Arya pulled away to embrace Bran who returned it the first time since they met again. She stepped back and looked around but nobody else was in the Hall. Her voice was small and filled with fear when she only asked one name."Sansa?" Jon shooked his head slightly and immediately locked his armed around her. She couldn't help it but the tears were running down her face and the sobs made her whole body shake even more. After her breathing had slowed down again and Jon had to leave to speak to the survivors and Bran went into the dining hall to help the wounded, she found herself standing alone in the yard again.

 

She had been wandering around Winterfell, in the hope to meet the last person who mattered. She hadn't had luck and slowly her hope was fading. The forge. She didn't look in the forge jet. She was running across the yard and only slowed down shortly before the door. She took a deep breath in order to prepare herself what she might find. Her shaking and sweating hand slowly pushed down the door handle to the forge.

 

Gendry Waters

 

She turned around to search for her family. Gendry had only one person he still wanted to say goodbye to, so he turned around as well and walked back towards the castle against the crowd. He needed to climb some stairs and walk a couple of corridors before he finally reached the door. 

 

He knocked on the door in the hope that someone was still there. His knock was answered by a low grumble and Gendry didn't hesitate to open the door. Davos was standing by the window and looked into the yard. He turned to Gendry and couldn't help but smile.

 

" I thought you have forgotten to say goodbye to me. Come 'er boy." He held his arms out and pulled Gendry into a tight hug. Davos was the man Gendry wished he had when he grew up. He never had a father figure until Davos came and rescued him from the red witch. He was the only one he considered family besides Arya. But he would never admit it aloud. He knew that Davos once had a son that died by the battle of Blackwater. He was sure that Davos didn't see him as a son.

 

Netherless Davos was the one that learned Gendry how to read or to write even how to dance, well how to dance very poorly but still. The thing a normal father would show his child. Not to forget that he had literally thanked his life for this man. He was one of the few left in Westeros who acted in the right way without any bad intentions.

 

Davos pulled back and looked at Gendry, one of his hands still at his shoulder." Take care. You hear me. Don't you dare die out there." His voice was almost demanding but also filled with sad memories."Can't handle to lose a second son." This he only said for himself, in the smallest voice so Gendry wouldn't hear it. But he did. A feeling came up that he never felt before, or never felt this strong before. A feeling of family. Gendry immediately pulled Davos back into a hug." I will try."

 

After that Gendry and Davos went together into the yard and said there last goodbyes before Davos went climbing into the carriage that would bring him far from the battle. Gendrys gaze followed him and landed on the carriage. Arya just jumped out of it and walked towards the Hound who was already waiting for her. Maybe this will be the last time I see her. Probably.

 

As they disappeared in the crowd, Gendry went to find the men he was supposed to fight with. When he found the other soldiers he saw that two were drunk and one was almost pissing his pants. The only one who stood straight was Harry. He knew Harry they talked a couple of times and got along pretty well. They also shared a tent with eight other men on their way to Winterfell. They greeted each other with a firm handshake and began to head to the battle.

 

He felt the cold creeping into his body and freezing every bone he had in his body. He heard how the skulls of the wights split when they collided with his warhammer. He could see the shining blue eyes focussing on him with the only purpose to rip him apart.

 

His muscles were screaming at him. He could hardly move in the freezing cold. But he had to lift a warhammer and kill as many dead men as possible. He lost most of his mates already as they were heading to the battle which didn't surprise him and one was already lying dead and burning on the battlefield. The only one who was left was Harry who was standing right behind him so they could get each other back. So he only had to take care of the wights that were in front of him.

 

He was in his element and after a couple of minutes or hours, he had nothing else in his mind than killing every wight that was in front of him. Until something jerked on his calf that made him turn around. Another wight. No, not any wight. Harry was starring up at him with the ice blue eyes. One of his legs was gone and the other one was too damaged so he couldn't stand. He crawled at the floor until he reached Gendrys calf in the hope to tear it apart and add him to the army of the dead.

 

His mind was no longer saying killing. He couldn't kill him. They were just fighting together minutes ago. Gendry kicked Harry away but didn't take his eyes from him he took one is two steps back in the hope that he would leave him alone and crawl the other way. But he didn't. Gendry knew that he had only one option. He raised his hammer. Ready to kill his friend when he felt pain at his neck. Not any pain. The worst pain he had ever experienced. Ice that was burning his throat. He dropped his hammer and his hands automatically went to his throat. 

 

He touched a hand that was gripping his neck with such a force that it might snap any minute. As he touched the hand his fingers began to freeze or burn he wasn't sure. His body got slowly lifted from the ground so his feet were hopelessly dangling in the air. Then his body was slammed against the ground. He landed on his knees and he was sure they were broken. He lifted his gaze and had a quick glance around. He was near the forest. He saw no living men, only dead. He got carried away while fighting and went to near to the forest and too far apart from the troops that were fighting for the living. Nobody was here to save him. And even if they were. Nobody could fight their way back to the save side.

 

His gaze lifted higher and he saw what was burning his flesh alive just seconds before. A White Walker. Gendry knew what was coming. He closed his eyes and focussed on his thoughts. His mind only had one thought. Arya. He saw every detail of her face. The way she furrowed her brow when she didn't like something. The odd grunt she made when he called her a Lady. Her breath and her angle like face when she slept. The warm of her lips pressed against his.

 

Then it came. A pain he couldn't stand. Burning ice right through his upper stomach. A pain that made him open his mouth in order to scream. But nothing but the cloud of his last breath came out. He could hear a scream straight from the seven hells and the sound of a thousand bodies hitting the floor before everything faded to black. Not to black exactly but to nothing.

 

Arya Stark

 

She opened the door and stepped into the forge. Cold. A cold breeze was the first thing she felt. Her heart seemed to stop. She took a step inside. Cold and empty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. I still want to wish you a good time and fun watching season 8.


	14. After the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter for this work. I know it took me long to write it but only because season 8 was so bad and it took my motivation. I hope you can enjoy it and don't think it is a horrible end to this work. Leave some comment. Always love every kind of feedback.

Gendry Waters

 

The cold wind was blowing against his frozen and blood covered skin. His whole body was aching, the burning wound at his upper stomach was making him unable to have clear thoughts. But all the pain was slightly numbed by the cold which was slowly winning his whole body.

 

His eyelids seemed frozen and he couldn't bring himself to open them further than a little slit. All he could see was a snow-covered scenery with a couple of darker objects. The objects were all moving past him at a constant pace. It took him some time to realize that everything was still around him and that he was moving. He was dragged somewhere by someone or something. He could feel a strong grip at the back of his jerking and breath against his neck. The breath wasn't gently, it was coming out in a ragged rhythm and it felt strong and dangerous against his mostly numb skin.

 

A sudden panic streamed through his blood which allowed him to open his eyes completely. He still saw everything blurred but he could make out the objects. Trees. He was dragged through a forest by some unknown creature while he was covered in the blood and flesh of dead or undead men. His first thought was to get away from the strong grip and attack whatever was behind him. But the best his body could do at the moment is lift his arm for a couple of seconds, at best.

 

Slowly the shrill beeping in his ears was replaced by the sound that surrounded him. Silence. Nothing was worse than silence he thought. But that was before he heard the heavy breathing and the footsteps right behind him. No living man could breathe that was and the footsteps weren't from a human. Maybe it was one of the ice spiders Arya once told him about. He thought it was nonsense and made up for children but he should have known better after the army of the dead.

 

His eyes were slowly closing again and his vision started to fade back to black. Gendry was sure that it was the last time he would have opened his eyes. If he wouldn't die of his wound, the thing that was dragging him away would set an end to his life.

 

The breathing was gone. The strong grip was gone. He was laying in the snow unmoving. He could hear a distant voice shouting something to each other. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Winterfell in the near distance. He was on top of a small hill at the edge of the Wolfwood. To men were making their way up the hill. They were still covered in blood from the battle and little frozen ice was forming in their beards.

 

"How in the seven hells did this one get so far away?"

 

They were slowly making their way to him until they only were a couple of feet away.

 

"Doesn't seem like he came here by himself." His tone was serious while he looked directly behind Gendry. Gendry tried to move his head to see what caused the shock and fear in the eyes of these men but his muscles would barely move.

 

"Let's grab him and get the hell back to Winterfell. He has to inform King Jon about this."

 

The other man only nodded and as they were struggling to find a way to carry him back his vision faded back to black.

 

Arya Stark

 

A couple of hours had passed since the dead fell and everybody was doing their best to collect all the dead so they could get a funeral. Every woman, man and child were dragging dead bodies across the yard of Winterfell and out of the gates. Arya was trying to distract herself, she couldn't believe it. None of it. It wasn't true. She was convinced that as long as she kept doing something she would realize that it was all unreal. That she would meet Sansa at breakfast in the great hall in the morning. That she would try to seek into Gendrys chambers at night. 

 

"Lady Arya." She was torn from her thoughts. "There is a small council meeting if you would follow me." The sun was slowly rising above them and the small rays of the sun were reflected by the tears and sweat that were covering Davo's face. Suddenly he looked old. Arya knew that he was an old man but he was always positive and optimistic with great advice but at this moment he looked lost and without any hope. Arya didn't reply or nod she only followed him into a small chamber were the surviving and most important people gathered.

 

Jon, Bran, Daenerys, Tyrion, Varys, Grey Worm, Davos and herself. They stood in absolute silence but Arya could help but notice the loving glances the dragon queen and her brother were sharing. Something seemed to tug on her heart when she saw the love that these people had for each other but her face was kept straight only her hand began to tremble slightly.

 

After a minute the last person entered the room. Tormund. His red hair was unrecognizable from the mud and his eyes looked tired just like everyone else. Jon looked to Davos who only nodded to him. Jon let out a quiet sign." This war is won. But it wasn't the last war. Cersei is just waiting, now that our forces are weaker than before. Tomorrow by midday we will honour the dead and burn their bodies. Lord Royce will light a pile for the Vale, Arya for the North, Grey Worm for the Unsullied, Daenerys for the Dothraki, me for the men of the Nights Watch and Tormund for the wildlings."

 

Everybody only nodded."After that, we will have to count how many men are left for the attack of Kings Landing..." Aryas mind drifted away and she was sure she wasn't the only one. She wished she could have stayed in the presence and listened to Jon's plan for the next war which was going to happen in a couple of fortnights. Maybe after that, there would be peace. Maybe not. Arya stopped caring the moment she saw what she lost. 

 

When she arrived at Winterfell, she didn't have any plans for after the war just like now. But as she reunited with Gendry she could just see the stupid pictures she saw as a child on the Kingsroad. Maybe we could be family, live somewhere in the forest where no one knows our names. Settle down without being involved in the stupid game of highborn's. But all those dreams were shattered when he left her by choice and now again, but this time maybe he would have said yes. Maybe. She would never know.

 

She felt a hand lightly touching her arm. She looked down and saw Bran gently smiling at her. She didn't saw Bran the three-eyed raven. She saw her sweet little brother who was trying to comfort her even though he felt the same pain. He looked like he wanted to say something but he didn't. He never did. He saw things that might help someone. But he never shared them. He once explained to her that that could ruin the past or the future. So he only shared the necessary thing. She saw that everyone was slowly leaving the room and heading for their quarters."You should get some rest."

 

She met Bran's eyes and only nodded. She would have to talk to him about Sansa. But not now. None of them seemed capable of that right now. She only gave him a warm smile and left the room.

 

She was relieved to see that one of the servants had drawn a bath for her. She couldn't wait to get all the blood off her, although she knew that would take more than one bath. She undressed and lowered herself into the warm bath.

 

The water slowly wiped away all the blood and mud and all her old and new battle wounds could be seen. Her body was covered in scratches of the dead hands that tried to drag her into her safe death. But they didn't. They would have if it wasn't for Beric who had rescued her. She never fully forgave him for selling Gendry. She was okay with setting aside their differences but she never fully forgave him. Just mere moments before he died. And she had the feeling he knew. She couldn't tell have but the last look they shared had told her that much.

 

She sunk deeper into the tub and was ready to grab the soap when she felt the pain in her hand. It had an ugly black and blue open wound where the White Walker had struck her with the sword. The unpleasant memory of Podrick came back. He had died for her after she rejected him. He loved her but she couldn't love him back. She would have liked to give him what he wanted but she knew that her answer and her choice would be always the same. Her choice would always be Gendry no matter how stupid or stubborn he could be.

 

She let out a ragged and uncontrolled sob. Jaqen would be disappointed. She tried but she couldn't hold her tears that were streaming down her scarred and hurt cheek. She stopped trying and let out every hysterical or quiet sob and tear that wanted to escape her body. It didn't matter. Nobody would ever see to hear. She was alone. And she felt alone.

 

After she got into new clothes and stitched up a couple of her new wounds that needing stitching, she sat on her bed with puffy and red cheek with little trails of salt on them. The tears had dried and the sobs fell silent. She felt empty and tired, she wanted to sleep but she couldn't. She thought that she probably wouldn't sleep for a couple of days until the exhaustion claimed her and she would be forced to sleep.

 

She heard a quiet knock but didn't bother to answer or open the door. But it wasn't necessary because Jon slowly opened the door. He wore his pity and a sad face with a small but fake smile. "Hey." His voice was small and raspy and Arya didn't feel the need to reply. He sat down next to her and moved his hand to her cheek. His eyes were filled with tears and his lips were quivering.

 

"You remember how you used to run away from your stitching lesson with Sansa and the Septa. How upset Sansa was and how you used to say you hate her." Arya might have punch Jon if he didn't have enough bruises because she didn't know how this story would probably make her feel better."Once we had a long talk about her. Just after one of your fights. You complain about her and her silly, girlish thoughts.Or that's how you called them.

 

But the longer we sat there, the more obvious it was was that you cared about her. You never cared if one of the other ladies disapproved of you or your actions. But you always cared what Sansa thought. I knew that you wanted to have a good relationship with her but it didn't work out as children." Jon sniffed and put his hand on her shoulder."But in the end you were sisters and you needed each other. She needed you and you needed her. She was so proud of you. That you survived on your own and that you became this strong and independent woman, just like her. I know I can't compete with your sister relationship but I want to be there for you. I want that we can trust each other fully. We are the only family we have left. You, me and Bran."

 

Arya silences him with a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around her and his silent tears were streaming down his cheek and soaking into her tunic." Your Grace, my Lady." Arya's eyes shot up to see Davos standing awkwardly at the door.

 

Jon turned around and faced Davos."Two men were outside off Winterfell, searching for survivors when they found something unsettling but it is best you hear them out yourself."

 

Arya quickly follows Jon and met the two men in the Great Hall. They still wore their bloodied armour and didn't seem to have gotten any rest."Your Grace, my Lady."They said in union with a quick bow.

 

"What is the unsettling matter you have witnessed?"Jon's face was stern and his voice was powerful and nothing like just a couple of minutes ago. At that moment Arya couldn't help but notice the similarities between Jon and her father.

 

The two men looked at each other and the smaller one began to speak."Well, we didn't really witness it but as we were one mile outside of Winterfell, we noticed heavily wounded man lying at the ground near the edge of the woods."

 

The other man cut in and continued the story."And as we reached the man, I noticed some strange traces in the snow. The man was dragged there by some animal and after another look, we saw that the traces of the animal was like a dog"."More like a wolf. But...well, a very big wolf, just like our direwolf your grace but mayhaps even bigger."

 

"Some soldiers said some things about suddenly appearing wolves in the battlefield but they attacked the dead and not the living man." Arya's heart seemed to stop. Nymeria. She had been her fighting with her pack and she was clearly alive if she had dragged this man after the battle. But why...She remembered her wolf dream where she follows the strange man and who that man was. She knew who Nymeria had dragged away from the battlefield where nobody would have found an almost dead man amongst thousand of the dead.

 

"Where is the man." She took sudden steps towards the men who seemed intimidated and slightly backed away."We...we took him to one of the stations where the wounded are tended to right outside of Winter but if you ask me that man... "."Where exactly." Her voice was demanding and didn't leave room for argument." The one by the north gate my lady." She stormed past them and left Jon with a confused expression.

 

When she finally reached the tent right outside of Winterfell, where some of the wounded men were treated who couldn't fit into the castle, she didn't hesitate and entered. She was hit by the smell of death and sickness. The tent was filled with bedrolls and bleeding and wounded men. People were dragging out the bodies of the people who died because of their wounds and women were running around with needles and clothes in order to stitch and wrap up the injuries.

 

Arya's skin was covered in goosebumps, not only because she wore a simple tunic and no cloak in this weather but because of the thought that maybe she arrived too late. Maybe he had been one of those bodies which were dragged out just mere minutes ago. She remembered the men mentioning that he had had a bad injury. She began to go down the lines of bedrolls and focussed on the faces of the people who laid there.

 

She saw old and young men, women and even children of the age of twelve. The further she got down the line the further her hope faded. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it hasn't been him. She quickly casted those thoughts out and continued down the line. After she finished the first row, she moved on to the next. And the next.

 

Her eyes were growing tired because of the lack of sleep and her muscles were sore and protested to carry her much longer. She nearly missed him. Nearly skipped over his face and moved on. But in the end, she noticed him. He wore no tunic but he was covered with an old blanket. A blue and black handprint was covering his throat. His face was still covered in mud and blood but Arya could see that someone had tried to clean it. 

 

Arya moved so she could be next to him and dropped to her knees. Her trembling hands were caressing his cheeks while the hot tears were flowing down her cheek and then her neck just to disappear in her tunic. His eyes were closed but she could feel his breath on her hand. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to see his other wounds but she didn't want to pull away from the blanket because it was the only thing that protected him from the cold. She felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned around. One of her handmaidens, Polly, was standing behind her with a warm bucket of water and a clean cloth. 

 

"You need to hold it against his forehead and change the water every few hours for some warm water that is next to the fire." She pointed into a direction and handed Arya the bucket."It's to keep his fever down. We don't have enough blankets so we try to keep them warm this way." She didn't make any other comment but turn around and was on her way to help some others. Arya did her best with the cloth and the water. She tried to clean his face but didn't dare to touch his neck or throat. She patted his forehand and change the water every now and then.

 

The hours flew by and she wished he would wake up so she could see his blue eyes again. But he didn't. His breathing grew steadier and he moved his head once or twice a little but that was the only thing he did. Polly came later again and showed her he wrapped up the wound at his stomach. The bandage was completely bled through and Polly promised her to change it when she found some new. Arya knew she could have helped her and search with her. But her feet wouldn't carry her and she couldn't dare to leave Gendry's side. What if he would wake without her there or what if he would die with no one there for him.

 

Her tears had dried and she still looked like a total mess. The rings under her eyes were larger and then before but she knew she couldn't sleep even if she wanted to. While she was waiting for Polly she looked at his face. It grew more and more beautiful with each passing hour, but it might have been just how Arya saw it. When Polly returned with the clean bandages, she lifted the blanket began to unwrap the wound. Arya was hesitating and wasn't sure if she should help but Polly only gave her a small nod and Arya began to remove the blood-soaked fabric.

 

The wound was deep and long. It had to be restitched and it was covered with fresh blood. Arya's stomach grew sick at the view. Not because of the wound or the blood but at the fact that it was Gendry lying before her. Polly told her to wash off the blood and Arya did her best to touch him as gently as she could. Polly stitched up the wound and both of them wrapped it afterwards. Polly reassured her that he could wake up every hour now and left again.

 

The tent grew emptier and emptier with every passing hour. Most of the injured died or were strong enough to be carried into the castle. Arya wanted to bring Gendry right back to Winterfell but in his state, he could die in the transport and nobody volunteered to carry back a man like Gendry who weight two times as much as Arya.

 

In the last hour, Gendry grew unquiet and began to stir a lot more. Arya didn't know if it was bad or good but she could feel the panic slowly building up inside of her. When she saw that he was slowly opening his eyes she couldn't help but squeeze his hand tight. It hurt her injury at her hand but she didn't care nor notice. He opened his eyes and Arya was the first thing they focused on. A smiled that reached his ears spread across his face and she could feel him lightly squeezing her hand back.

 

"Arya."His voice was hoarse but filled with joy and relief and Arya couldn't hold back the tears once more. She wrapped her arms around his neck but was careful not to touch his stomach. She felt the light pat on her back but quickly released him in the fear of hurting him somewhere. His expression was a frow."You're gonna get sick if you run around like that in winter." Arya chuckled lightly at his stupid concern. His eyes were slowly shutting again, trying to seek more sleep."Come 'ere." He made the attempt to move a little to the side but he failed. Arya slipped under the blanket and pressed herself lightly against his side. Gendry turned his head and smiled into her hair before dossing off again. Arya didn't need much longer before she felt herself slowly drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it. Just wanted to say that I might make a second work which will be about the plot in Kings Lansing and will pick up right were I ended this story. Ok bye.


End file.
